The Beauty Within
by missy7293
Summary: Daryl finds himself attracted to a talented woman that does not fit the norms of what society finds attractive. This is a one shot of Daryl's encounter and the beginning of a relationship.- Note: I have decided to Expand this story based on responses...so Stay tuned!
1. Chapter 1

None of them had a clue what she had been through. She didn't have the cookie cutter beauty that the other girls performing that night had, but she had one thing she was confident in, and that was musical talent. For so many years she had kept it hidden from others, but now in her late twenties she was finally brave enough to share her secret with others…if they could get past her appearance and just give her a chance.

Daryl and Merle had arrived at the local bar an hour earlier. Merle was his usual outspoken rowdy self while Daryl quietly sat down at the bar and ordered a beer. He had been chain smoking out of nervousness for the past half hour and sat through a few of the Barbie doll performers whom all sounded alike to him. He knew girls like that, pretty packages on the outside but an empty box once you took off the wrapping. He wouldn't even be here tonight if Merle hadn't dragged him out of the house.

He spotted Merle across the bar chatting up some bubble headed blonde with her double D breast barely within the confines of her shirt. Merle was so fucking predictable. No wonder he seemed to get the clap every few months…he thought with his dick and not with his heart. Of course, Daryl wasn't known for being a Casanova. He had the occasional hook up that he would give into usually after a night of heavy drinking. He hated that his primal desires would take him over after he had consumed enough alcohol to put most men under the table. The worst part was the awkward departure the next morning. He couldn't explain it, but for some reason women were attracted to him but unfortunately those women weren't much better than the women Merle would always chase.

Daryl was taken from his thoughts as he heard the music begin again on stage. The powerful voice he heard caught his attention and he turned to watch the performer. The emotion and power that came from her voice was projected unto the audience and Daryl felt he could feel every word she was singing. That led him to study the woman that was singing, conveying all of her passion and angst through the music. She was playing the piano along with singing and he wasn't sure if he had ever heard anything quite so mesmerizing.

He surmised that the songstress was probably in her late twenties, a bit younger than he was. She wasn't one of the skinny ditzes that had been performing for the most of the evening by any means. This woman was definitely different, and Daryl liked that about her. She was a heavyset girl with chestnut brown hair that fell past her shoulders and some of the most beautiful brown eyes he had ever seen. There was a passion in those eyes that captured Daryl the first moment he saw them, but there was something else that he noticed too…sadness. He also realized her vocal range was off the chart and with her playing her own accompaniment he now couldn't take his eyes off of her.

Merle sauntered over to the bar and Daryl couldn't help but ask him "Do you know who this girl singing is?"

"Hmph…that cow?" Merle said laughing.

"Merle, she's really good and I don't think she's all that bad." Daryl said. Sometimes he hated his brother.

"Her name is Davia Longstreet. She's a shy little girl who happens to sing and play pretty good. I better not see you sniffing around her Darylina. Dixon's don't need to be seen with someone like that. You can do much better." Merle said.

Daryl was pissed at how quickly Merle judged the woman. "Merle, fuck off. I was just asking is all." He said trying to get his brother to now drop the subject.

"Better be just asking. Now I'm off to go back to April…Merle will be getting lucky tonight with that fine blonde goddess over there." He told Daryl. Daryl just rolled his eyes in disgust. It probably meant another night of shoving a pillow over his head trying to sleep while Merle was panting and grunting away in the next room. He really wasn't sure what women saw in his older brother, but when Merle wanted to be charming, he was better than most.

Daryl listened intently to the rest of the set and when Davia finished singing Daryl found himself clapping and cheering enthusiastically. Maybe the four beers he drank gave him courage, but when Davia exited the stage Daryl made his way over to the small table where she was sitting alone.

"Um, do you mind if I sit down with you?" Daryl asked. This was probably the boldest move he had ever made before, but there was something so different about this girl that he couldn't stop himself from wanting to get to know her.

In a very quiet voice she said "yes" looking up at him through her long eyelashes. Daryl thought she was beautiful…more so than any other woman in the place. She wasn't his usual type, but there was something about her that drew him in.

"Look, I don't normally do things like this, but you were incredible up there. My name is Daryl." He told her.

When Davia wasn't singing she was painfully shy. She really only had a few friends and her family was gone. Living a lonely existence was her normal lifestyle. Now suddenly there was a very handsome country boy sitting at her table telling her how great she sang. To be honest Davia didn't know how to respond.

"Thank you. I'm Davia." She managed to get out.

Merle spotted his brother across the bar and flew hot when he saw that Daryl was sitting with plump singer having a conversation. He had warned his idiot of a brother that Dixon's don't need to be seen with girls like that. Sure, she had more talent than most of the performers he had seen, but she wasn't what Merle would consider "Dixon Quality." Merle marched his way over to where Daryl was sitting with Davia.

"Daryl, a word?" Merle commanded.

Daryl knew what was going to be next, and it infuriated him. "Look, Don't start. I fucking like her and I want to get to know her, so take your ass away from us right now. Got it?"

"I won't allow it baby brother. You don't need to be sniffing around a bump on the log like that. Look at her…you wouldn't be able to afford feeding her."

"Damnit Merle, she ain't even that big. At least she ain't some coked up whore. Leave me and her the fuck alone or I'm gonna beat your ass, and you know I can do it." Daryl threatened.

"It's your prison sentence boy. Just don't ask me to go along with it. And if you bring her back to the house, I don't want to hear the sounds of a whale mating." Merle told him.

Daryl snapped at Merle's final comment. First of all, He didn't see Davia as the type girl you have a one night stand with, and secondly, she wasn't by any means a huge girl. She had curves and little extra meat on her bones, but Daryl thought it looked good. The girls Merle usually hooked up with were almost skeletal and most of them were so strung out on coke they probably only ate once a week.

"Merle, fuck off and leave me and her alone. I ain't asking you again." Daryl told him.

"Whatever" was Merle's response as he stomped off back towards the skank he had been hanging with all evening.

Daryl walked over to Davia and sat back down. "Sorry, my brother is an asshole."

"Merle Dixon is your brother? I don't think he likes me very much…I've heard some of his snarky comments. He probably isn't thrilled you are talking to me, I'm not the type of person he associates with." Davia replied.

"Well Merle ain't known for being the brightest bulb in the chandelier. Would you like to get out of here and maybe grab something to eat?" Daryl asked, surprised at his own boldness.

"That would be nice." She said. She still couldn't believe that this man was actually taking the time to speak to her. However, she figured he just felt sorry for her or he was desperate. She knew she wasn't the greatest at holding a conversation and Daryl was most likely used to women who were both more attractive than her and also a lot more social.

Daryl stood up and allowed Davia to get up as well. She got her purse and he guided her out to his truck. She nervously got in. "Don't worry Davia, I ain't gonna force myself on you. Me and Merle are very different from each other." He assured her when he sensed her apprehension.

He drove them to a late night diner and the two of then entered and sat in an empty booth in the corner. Daryl felt it very easy to talk to Davia and she found Daryl easy to talk with as well. She detected that he had come from a difficult home life, not unlike herself, and that his brother had more influence over him that he would admit.

"So how did you become a singer?" Daryl asked.

"Out of necessity I guess. My dad walked out on my mom before I was even born, and she died of a heroin overdose when I was four. Spent my life going from foster home to foster home. I didn't have anything consistent in my life except for music. I barely graduated high school, so college was out of the picture and singing has been the only way I can pay the bills. It's not much, but it's enough to feed me and put a roof over my head." She told him. It was probably the most she had spoken to anyone in years.

"Yeah, I spent some time in a foster home right after my momma died. It wasn't a good experience, I just hope yours was better than mine." He told her.

She just nodded, not volunteering anything else about her past. They continued to talk on until Daryl realized it was nearly four in the morning. "I reckon I need to take you back so you can get your car and get home and get some rest."

"I can walk Daryl. I don't own a car…I can't afford it and I don't really know how to drive. I either walk or take the bus if I need to get around." She informed him.

"I ain't gonna let you walk. I will take you home myself and make sure you get home safely." He assured her.

"You don't have to Daryl…it wouldn't be the first time I walked home late by myself." She told him.

"It's not safe and I want to make sure you are OK. Trust me Davia, I ain't out to hurt you." He replied.

Daryl paid the bill and then escorted Davia out to his truck. He followed her instructions and drove her to her small apartment. He wasn't sure as to whether or not he should drop her off or walk her to her door, but he chose the safer option and walked her to her door. If she had been one of his usual hook ups he would have made a move to get himself invited in and have a drunken romp, but Daryl wasn't drunk and Davia wasn't a hook up.

"Are you performing tonight?" He asked. It was a Saturday night and he knew the bar would be crowded, and her normally didn't like large crowds, but if she were singing then he wanted to hear her perform.

"I am. Do you have plans to come back to the bar tonight?" She asked.

"Do now. I can pick you up and bring you so you don't have to walk. What time do you go on stage?" He asked.

"Nine. But you don't need to feel obligated, I can walk." She said.

" You don't need to be walking after dark in this town. Something could happen to you. I will pick you up at seven and we can grab dinner before you go on. No arguments." He told her.

Davia couldn't believe how kind this man was. She was feeling flutters in her stomach that she had never felt before. Most of the time she was more than just a little suspicious when she received male attention. Some bad decisions in her past had left her in a couple of very bad circumstances, but those men had given her a bad vibe to begin with, but she was so desperate for companionship she was willing to ignore those feelings. Daryl was different. He had trustworthiness to him that she had never experienced. He hadn't volunteered much about himself, but he did put forth the effort to try to get to know her. No one had ever seemed to really care before. She had always heard the stories about how Merle was, rough, mean, and addicted to various drugs, but Daryl didn't seem to fit this profile. Daryl most likely had spent his life growing up in his brother's shadow, but still somehow was able to maintain a bit of his own self.

Daryl picked up Davia that evening. He was dressed in his cleanest pair of jeans, boots, and a black buttoned up shirt. They were the nicest clothes he had. Daryl had a job as an electrician, but he didn't make the best wage and supporting his brother and himself on his measly salary wasn't easy. Merle refused to work, and anytime he had an opportunity to get a job he would either fail the drug test or if he was lucky enough to get hired, he would lay out of work too much to continue to be employed.

Davia had on cowboy boots, boot cut jeans that hugged her curves, and a red scoop neck blouse. She wore some vintage jewelry to accent her outfit and her wavy chestnut hair worn down completed her look perfectly. Daryl had thought about her all day long and seeing her caused his breath to hitch. He didn't see why others didn't realize how beautiful she was. He wasn't going to complain though, that meant he didn't have to compete for Davia's attention and he liked that. Daryl wasn't much of a conversationalist, and Davia wasn't either, but somehow he found her easy to talk to.

He took her to dinner at a small steakhouse and they spoke comfortably with each other. Daryl finally got up enough nerve to ask her if she was involved with anyone romantically.

"Are you kidding? Look at me…men don't like girls like me. I am always the first to get 'friend zoned'" She informed him.

"Their loss" Daryl told her. Those two words made her smile. Could he actually be interested in her? She doubted it. He could have any woman he wanted and she guessed he just felt sorry for her like all the others did. The one time she thought she was in love it turned out that the guy was gay. "Oh no" she thought to herself… "could he be?" She looked at him a bit closer and observed his mannerisms. There wasn't anything about him that led her to believe he was interested in men, but with her luck…

"I haven't dated a woman seriously in many years myself. Women like you don't usually give me the time of day when they realize I ain't nothing but redneck trash." He admitted to her.

"Whew" she thought…he wasn't gay. OK, then why was he still here with her? Self-doubt was quickly over taking her and she finally blurted out "Daryl, why are you being so nice to me? I ain't nothing, and I definitely don't see you as redneck trash."

"That's where you are wrong Davia. I like you. Been thinking about ya all day. Anyone who doesn't see how special you are is a fool." He said, blushing as he spoke to her honestly.

"You really like me? That's interesting because I like you too Daryl, but I don't really know how to do any of this. There are things about my past that I think if you found out you wouldn't be here with me." She admitted.

"Past is the past…mine isn't a fairy tale either." He told her.

Davia shifted uncomfortably in her seat as she remembered all of her dark secrets that still haunted her. She looked down at her watch "Daryl, it's about time to head over to the bar."

He paid the check and then stood up and took her hand and led her to the truck. As she was about to get into the truck Daryl pulled her to him and placed a chaste kiss on her. He could feel her tense up at the contact. "I'm sorry…I didn't mean too make you feel uncomfortable." He said.

"No Daryl, that was nice. I wasn't expecting it was all. Like I said, I'm not used to anything like this." Tears began to slip from her eyes, as she was overwhelmed with emotions.

Daryl silently beat himself up. He was sure his boldness had scared the girl away from him. He cursed himself for being so forward, but he couldn't help himself, as he never felt this way about someone before.

"Davia, I would like to get to know you better. And if you give me a chance, we will take this as slow as you need. I don't know the first thing about having a real relationship with someone, but if you give me a chance, I want to learn." He admitted to her.

Without thinking Davia took a breath and stood up on her toes and pulled Daryl too her. She very carefully kissed him and was amazed when he reciprocated. She hadn't much experience with the opposite sex, but she decided to go with her instincts. Before they both knew it the kiss had progressed into a passionate exchange with both of their tongues intertwined. Daryl felt the blood rush to parts of his body that normally didn't perk up unless he was drunk and Davia felt a fire inside her that she had never experienced.

They both broke away from each other breathless. "Reckon I need to take you the bar so I can share you with others." He said smiling.

"Can we pick this up later?" She asked.

"You don't even need to ask." He replied back to her.

**Just a quick one shot story. I might expand it later if people are interested. I can so see Daryl being attracted to someone who doesn't have conventional beauty. He has a tendency to see people for who they are and not what they look like. **

**Let me know what you think.**

**Thanks-**

**Missy**


	2. Chapter 2

**So I decided to expand this into an actual story. Please let me know what you think.**

After they had enjoyed their dinner Daryl brought Davia to the bar to sing. In a very Non Daryl Dixon like move he sat down at the table closest to the stage so he could watch Davia perform up close. There was a slight hush that came over the crowd as Davia began to perform and Daryl let himself get lost in the music. There was something so heartfelt and magical in Davia's music. He couldn't put his finger on it, but somehow he knew that each word she sang rang true to her in some way. As she performed for the bar patrons, she looked up quickly to see Daryl and she managed to give him a small smile. That one little look sent a jolt of electricity through his body that left him smiling in return.

Daryl was so caught up in Davia's performance that he didn't notice that Merle, April, and one of Daryl's old hook-ups had maneuvered their way to his table. Merle was grinning like a possum when Daryl finally noticed that he had taken a seat at the table with the other two females.

"Hey Baby Brother, remember Cheryl here? She's been missing you…" He said.

Daryl just grunted "Hey."

Cheryl then began to purr "Hey sugar, I haven't forgot about our last meeting. If you want a repeat performance I am always available. I wouldn't mind wrapping my legs around that nice strong body again."

Merle let out a cheer "See Darylina-she's willing to give you a good fuck and you won't even have to feed her before hand. She's a lot hotter than that fat lump on the stage you've been hanging with." Merle said.

"Merle, shut the fuck up…again. If you don't leave Davia alone I'm going to kick your ass…I mean it. And Cheryl Darling…I ain't interested. If I hadn't been so shit faced I would have never fucked you. Got it…so forget I even exist and get the hell out of here…all of you." Daryl said angrily. He was sick and tired of Merle's nasty comments regarding Davia.

"Fine, enjoy your side of beef…I think I'm going to enjoy both April and Cheryl tonight. Come on ladies, anyone interested in a threesome? Old Merle is man enough for both of ya." He said as he stormed off from his younger brother. Daryl didn't realize that Merle wasn't done with trying to get Davia away from him. She was an embarrassment to Daryl, which meant she would be an embarrassment to him as well.

Davia had caught the interaction while she performed and her heart sank when she saw the attractive female sit down with Daryl. Surprisingly though, it looked like Daryl sent her away and the female looked more than just a little bit pissed as she stomped off with Daryl's brother after being rejected. She hated to admit it, but it made her feel good.

When Davia finished her set she received a huge ovation from the crowd. Daryl thought she sounded a lot like Adele, but he didn't want to hurt her feelings and tell her that if she wasn't a fan of Adele's music. When she left the stage she cautiously made her way over to Daryl whom stood up and pulled her chair out for her when she came to sit down. He wasn't sure what was causing him to act this way, but when he was around Davia he wanted to be as chivalrous as possible. She had him in the palm of her hands and had no idea how smitten he was with her.

Without asking Daryl ordered himself and Davia a drink. He noticed she had a peculiar look on her face when he placed the order so he inquired if she would like something besides the beer he had ordered for each of them.

"Honestly Daryl, I've never really had alcohol before. With my mother's addictions I always felt it was best just to avoid it. With my luck I would actually like it." She admitted.

"Really, you ain't never had a drink before? What do you normally do after you finish a set? I figured you would have a few drinks to unwind." He said.

"I normally have a hot tea with honey and lemon. It's good for the vocal chords." She told him.

"Well if you are willing to try a drink, I have an idea of something that you might like." He told her.

"OK, I trust you Daryl. Just promise me you won't let me do anything stupid." She joked.

"I promise to take care of you Davia. By the way, you were incredible tonight on stage. It pure made the hair on my arms stand up. Why are you performing in a little bar like this when you should be in Nashville or something." He told her.

"In Nashville you have to have talent AND look the part. I think you understand what I'm saying." She said to him.

"I wish you could see you for how beautiful you are." He said, shocked that he admitted it to her out loud. Daryl couldn't believe how all of his usual walls he put up just crumbled in her presence. He smiled when Davia blushed three shades of red and looked down. He reached out with his hand and cupped her chin, bringing her face up so she could look him in the eyes. Daryl gazed at her intently and then leaned in and gave her a kiss. God this was different for him because he wasn't drunk and he was actually showing a public display of affection. As he pulled away from the kiss he noticed Merle watching him on the other side of the bar. When Daryl made eye contact Merle just glared and shook his head. "Fuck him" Daryl thought to himself. For once Daryl felt happy, excited, and well…normal and he wasn't going to let Merle or anyone else screw this up.

The bar owner himself delivered the drinks to Davia and Daryl. He was an older man who retired from his job as a civil engineer three years earlier and decided, along with his wife, to open up the bar. His name was Dale and Davia liked him because he was more than willing to give her a chance to perform, despite her appearance.

"Sorry to interrupt you two, but Davia, I was wondering if I could talk you into an extra performance this week. We've got a wedding reception here next Saturday afternoon, and I was wondering if you wouldn't mind. You're by far my best performer and the pay is double." He said.

"Sure Mr. Horvath, just let me know what time and I will be here. Who is getting married?" She asked. The town of Blue Ridge was small enough that she knew most people and she was curious to who's nuptials she would be performing for.

"The oldest Greene girl, Maggie, and Glenn." He told her.

Glenn was employed by Dale as a chef (OK, that might be a stretch in the description) in the bar. He was in culinary school and was working for Dale to earn extra money to pay for his education. Davia had shared a few conversations with Glenn in the past and she really liked the younger man and appreciated his quirkiness. She knew the Greene family, but not that well. When she was younger she attended the local Baptist church with them and knew the youngest daughter Beth was a singer as well. She had even gone so far as teach Beth a few songs while she was an active participant in the Youth Choir. Of course this was ten years ago and she hadn't really interacted with anyone in the family since then. Other than an occasional greeting as they passed in town, she hadn't seen them. Davia had become such an introvert that she really didn't interact with anyone. Daryl had no idea how lucky he had been to get her to even speak with him.

"Sure Dale, I could use the cash and I really like the Greene family."

"Good girl…and don't forget to pick up your pay tonight before you leave." He told her, giving her a warm smile.

"Thank you Dale." She said giving him a warm smile in return.

Daryl reached for his beer while handing the other drink to Davia. She was surprised, but the drink was served in a mug, not a glass.

"What is this?" She asked.

"It's called a hot toddy. It has Crown Royal, lemon juice, and honey. If you ever have a sore throat it's great for making you feel better." He told her.

"Is that because of the honey and lemon or the liquor." She joked.

"Did you actually just make a joke Ms. Davia?" Daryl asked, giving her a rare smile.

She just smiled back, once again looking at the floor. For some reason direct eye contact was difficult for her. Daryl assumed she must have been told she was worthless her entire life and as a result she didn't feel like she was worthy enough to look other people in the eye, even a low life like himself.

He reached out and once again placed his hand under her chin and guided her face upward so she would make eye contact. "Davia, you don't have to keep looking down when I pay you a compliment. You have beautiful eyes and I like to look at them." He said, trying to encourage her.

"I'll try, guess it's a bad habit." She told him, trying to maintain the eye contact. Davia had to admit to herself that Daryl had one of the most handsome faces she had ever seen. He had an intensity in his gaze that caused her stomach to flip…and those blue eyes. His features were rugged and masculine and his hair was soft and shaggy as it framed his face perfectly.

He encouraged her to take a sip and try the drink. She nodded and took a sip, and was surprised at the warmth as the alcohol slid down her throat smoothly. "This isn't too bad. It's like a hot tea with a bit of a kick." She admitted.

"Told ya." He said.

They engaged in conversation for the next hour and Daryl excused himself to go to the restroom. He had drunk two beers and his bladder was protesting. "I'll be right back." He promised.

Davia was feeling relaxed and was enjoying her time with Daryl immensely. She wasn't sure what he saw in her, but he was nothing but a total gentleman and made her feel like she was the only girl in the world. Tonight may have been the most incredible night she had ever experienced and she had to thank the country boy who had been keeping her company for the most part of the past twenty-four hours.

Merle spotted Davia alone at the table after Daryl had gotten up to relieve himself. If Daryl wasn't going to listen to him then Merle was going to go after the other party directly…Davia.

Davia was enjoying the male performer on stage when she was disturbed from her thoughts as Merle flopped down in the chair that Daryl had been occupying earlier.

"Hello Miss Piggy. I'm only gonna tell you this once, so listen real good. You forget you ever met my baby brother or I will make your life a living hell. Dixon's don't need to be seen around the likes of girls like you. I don't like you and my little brother thinks he's gonna rescue you or something. I don't care how you do it, but you need to end things with him now or it's going to go badly for both of you. I can't have him sullying the Dixon name with a girl like you."

The words cut through her like a knife. Merle saw her just like everyone else did a worthless girl who was undesirable and useless. She tried to hold back the tears, but couldn't ignore the hurt. Daryl was the first good thing she had ever experienced and he had made her feel special, but Merle and other's seemed to think she was bad for him. Quickly Davia stood up, grabbed her purse and ran out of the bar. Merle smiled smugly pleased with chasing off the girl. She may have been nice and had a lot of talent, but she wasn't Dixon quality, and his little brother was too stupid to realize what a girl like him would do to the family reputation. Dixon's didn't do "nice"…they did hot, sexy, and no strings attached. Fuck 'em and leave 'em.

Daryl had exited the rest room in time to see Merle sitting at his table and Davia grabbing her things and running out of the bar. He rushed over to confront his older brother.

"What the fuck did you do?" Daryl yelled.

"Just trying to clean up a problem you aren't willing to face." Merle told him.

"I'm sick of this shit Merle. You need to let me live my own GodDamn life. Davia has more class in her little finger than you have in your entire thick headed body. Why can't you let me be fucking happy for once? You know what Merle, Fuck you. I want your shit out of the house tonight, I'm tired of supporting your lazy drug addicted ass…" Daryl didn't even have time to finish his sentence before Merle reached back and slugged his baby brother in the face with his fist.

"You listen to me you ungrateful little shit…I've been taking care of you since before you could even wipe your ass. Ain't no one ever gonna love ya but me baby brother. So you need to forget about Davia and chock this up to bad decisions on your part." Merle informed him.

"Fine, you won't leave, then I'm out…it's about time I'm on my own anyway." He told his brother.

Before Merle could respond Daryl got up and went and paid the bill so he could go find Davia. He prayed she would still talk to him after what he could only imagine Merle had said to her. Dale had witnessed Davia leaving and Daryl's altercation with Merle.

"Daryl, I assume you are going to find Davia. Can you bring her the money I owe her for tonight?" Dale asked.

"Sure thing, I'm sorry for my brother being an Asshole, but I'm gonna make sure Davia is OK. Don't worry about her yet." Daryl told Dale after he saw the concern on the older man's face.

"Thanks son, hard to believe you and Merle are actually related." He said. Daryl just shook his head in agreement.

Davia must have been walking at a pretty good clip, as Daryl didn't pass her on her route home. He was concerned in the fact that Davia had been drinking and she wasn't accustomed to alcohol or it's effects. It took him just over five minutes to arrive at her apartment and he quickly parked the truck and went up to her door and knocked.

Davia answered the door, her eyes red and puffy making it painfully obvious she had been crying. When he saw her he didn't even ask to come in, but slipped into her doorway and embraced the girl completely in his arms. She began to sob and he was furious with Merle for causing her such pain. Davia didn't show a lot of emotion, but at this moment he saw how visibly upset and hurt she was.

"Davia, I'm so sorry. My brother is an asshole jerk and I'm done with him. I'm gonna sleep in my truck tonight and find another place to live tomorrow. I got a little bit of money saved and I just need to get out of that place anyhow." He told her.

"Daryl maybe you should just leave me be. I'm bad for you and your reputation. Merle was right, you can do better." She said flatly.

"Davia, I don't care what Merle said, I want to be with you. Ever since I first heard you sing last night I can't keep you off my mind. You are different from any woman I have ever met, and I can't explain it, but I am falling for you hard. Normally I'm just some redneck asshole who doesn't speak to anyone, but when I'm with you, all I want to do is talk to ya, get to know ya, and just be with ya, even if we don't speak." He couldn't believe he just poured out his heart to this girl.

"Daryl, you don't know me, I'm damaged and I have no experience with dating or relationships. Please, you need to leave and forget about me…I'm just going to cause you embarrassment." She insisted.

Daryl didn't know what came over him, but he wrapped his arms around the girl and pulled her into a feverish kiss. She stood stiffly at first, probably from the shock of his actions, and then before she knew it she began to respond to his passion. Davia melted when his lips encompassed hers and she gently parted them as he slipped his tongue inside her mouth. He began to walk her to the couch and before they both knew it they were engrossed in a hot and heavy make-out session on the couch. Davia pulled away so she could catch her breath. Her cheeks were flushed and Daryl was breathing just as heavy as she was.

"Wow" was all he could manage to say.

"Yeah, wow" was her response. They both caught their breath then continued again.

Finally pulling away before things got out of hand, Daryl spoke, not letting go of her hand.

"I have your pay from Dale."

"Thanks Daryl. Hey, I was thinking, since you were planning on sleeping in your truck, why don't you just stay here. You can have my bed and I will sleep on the couch."

"Ain't gonna ask you to give up your bed. I'll be fine in the truck, won't be the first time I've slept in it." He admitted.

"How about then you sleep on the couch. Will that work? I don't want you to sleep in your truck. If you want, I can help you find a place to live tomorrow." She said.

"OK, as long as you are comfortable with it." He told her.

"Yes I am." She told him.

He took a look around at her apartment and noticed it was small, but immaculately kept. There was a small but open kitchen with a bar that separated it from the living area. The furniture was nice and comfortable and she had a flat screen TV on the wall over a fireplace. Everything was tastefully decorated in a modern décor and she had a piano sitting in the corner. Other than the TV and a computer she had in her bedroom, that was about the only thing she had of high value. He peaked into her room and noticed she had a queen-size bed and had the entire room decorated in a red, black, and white décor. It was by far homier and more comfortable than the sterile house he lived in with Merle. Just the thought of getting out from under Merle caused Daryl mixed feelings, but he knew if he wanted to pursue a relationship with Davia he needed to get away from Merle immediately.

Daryl was brought from his thoughts when Davia asked him if he wanted to watch a movie. "It's only midnight and I am kind of a night owl." She admitted.

"Sure, we can watch whatever you want." He said.

"Great, I've been wanting to watch Gone with the Wind." She told him.

"Um…" Daryl responded. He knew the movie was basically a chick flick and it was also about four hours long.

"Gotcha!" She replied giggling.

"I would have watched it with you…just to be with ya." He admitted to her.

"Don't worry, I'm not that heartless. I've got some comedies over there in my collection. You pick out what you want to see and we can watch it." She said.

He made his way over to the shelves that had her DVD's and he noticed her music collection. His mouth almost dropped when he saw there were at least a thousand CD's and probably about a hundred vinyl albums. He let out a low whistle "I ain't never seen so much music in one person's house."

"You could say it was my hobby and my passion. It keeps me company."

"Well I hope ya let me keep ya company too some time." Daryl told her as he blushed for being so forward.

"I would like that very much Daryl. Have you had any luck in picking a movie?" She asked.

"Yeah, it's an old one but it's still funny." He said as he handed her an old John Candy Movie "Summer Rental"

"Good choice, this movie is funny as heck." She said as s he put the movie in the DVR and then sat down on the couch beside Daryl.

"Funny as Heck huh? Do you not swear?" He asked.

"Wasn't sure if I would offend you or not, so I tried to keep it PG." She said smiling.

"You won't fucking offend me…so no worries." He said teasing her back.

They watched the movie with Davia leaning into Daryl as he had his arms around her comfortably. They had caught themselves making out a few times during the movie but Davia would nervously pull away before anything got to serious. Daryl picked up on the fact that she had very limited experience when it came to men so he was cognizant of letting her lead their romantic interactions.

As the night passed into the wee hours of the morning Daryl decided it would be best if they went to sleep. Davia and he pulled out the couch into a sofa bed and made it up for Daryl. She helped him get settled in and she gave him a final kiss before she made her way into her own room. She was tired but excited too. She had never had any male ever willingly stay at her home and part of her wanted to invite Daryl into her own bed just so she could be near him. However, Davia had zero experience when it came to being with a man. She was nearly twenty-nine years old and still a virgin…well sort of…

The sofa bed was more comfortable than Daryl's worn out bed at his house. He was trying hard to fall asleep but all he could think about was the girl in the next room. The sheets smelled like her perfume and it was driving Daryl wild. He had so much he had to do the next day, but honestly all he wanted to do was go into the bedroom and take Davia in his arms and just hold her until they both fell asleep. After and hour he finally drifted off asleep, Davia's beautiful face was pictured brightly in his mind. His last thoughts as he fell into a deep sleep were of him and Davia living in a house together deep in the woods…

**Is this too slow? Wasn't sure about what you would think...This story is a bit of a twist in that it is usually a female trying to put Daryl back together. **

**FYI- Davia will never be a super hero or super model in this story. She's a real woman with real flaws like we all have, so I don't think she will be kicking any asses in this story...though maybe she might have to take a swing at Merle at some point LOL...**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	3. Chapter 3

Daryl awoke just after sunrise that morning. He was a bit confused as to his location when he first opened his eyes then he remembered all that had happened the previous evening. He reached up and could feel the soreness in his face where Merle had punched him. Fucking asshole…Then Daryl remembered he was finally ridding himself of his piece of shit brother.

Daryl made his way out of the bed and went to the bathroom to relieve his self. Davia appeared to still be sleeping so Daryl decided to see what he could find in the kitchen. The cupboards were neat and tidy with all of the food labels facing the same way and as he continued to look at what she had for food, then he realized it had been alphabetized as well. In Daryl's house it was possible to finds cans of food stored in the fridge, under the cabinets, above the cabinets, or still left in a bag on the counter. With his work schedule and his worthless brother Daryl didn't normally take the time to clean the house or organize much. It was pointless because the few times he had managed to get the house clean Merle would just come in and trash all of his hard work.

Daryl found some items to put together to make Davia and him breakfast. He made up some pancakes and had found some berries frozen in the freezer. He made a berry flavored syrup like his mother had made him when he was a child and placed the food on the table. Daryl had taken the liberty of fixing a pot of coffee and noticed that Davia had some flavored cream in the fridge and not knowing which she wanted he also placed those on the table as well. He decided to make some bacon and sausage to go along with the pancakes and as he was finishing up Davia walked out of her room as the smells in the kitchen had awoken her.

"Oh My God, this looks scrumptious," she said as she witnessed the feast Daryl had laid out on the table. "I hope you didn't feel obligated to do this Daryl, I would have gladly made you breakfast."

"No, it's the least I could do for you putting me up last night. Slept better here on your pull-out couch than I sleep in my own bed." He told her.

Daryl noticed how different she looked in the morning. Her face was fresh and flawless and all traces of the makeup she wore the night before were gone. She had on shorts and a T-shirt and he couldn't help but notice she wasn't wearing a bra. He had always seen her in loose fitting clothing and seeing her in a pair of shorts and a fitted T-shirt confirmed what he had thought and that was that Davia wasn't a big girl at all. He would classify her as voluptuous and curvy. She had ample breasts, and hips that were rounded and flared out perfectly. His uncle would have said she was "made for having babies." He also noticed she was tall as well, probably at least five-eight.

Her hair was down and he realized it went three quarters of the way down her back and fell in chestnut waves. That with her smoky brown eyes and her long lashes would take Daryl's breath away. She was stunning and had no idea how beautiful she was. Someone in her past destroyed her self-esteem and Daryl wanted more than anything to be able to convince her that she was worth so much more than she thought of herself.

"Um, Daryl…if you want to get your things and move them in here until you can find a place, that's OK with me." She said shyly not looking at him directly in his eyes. Her hair fell like a curtain hiding her features, and he could hear the apprehension in her voice as she made the offer to him.

"I ain't sure Davia, I don't want to be a burden to ya…but I do want to spend more time with ya. If I do then I'm going to cover all your bills until I find something. Will that be fair?" He asked.

"Oh no Daryl…that's too much. You don't have to pay anything, you can save up for your moving expenses." She told him.

"No, I insist Davia. It most likely won't be for very long anyhow. I ain't picky about where I live and I will be out of your hair in no time." He told her.

She tried to smile…but part of her wanted Daryl with her all the time. She had only known him for a few days and normal social protocol would frown upon her desires, but Daryl was nicer and more respectful to her than anyone she had ever met and she truly wanted to trust him. But for Davia a lifetime of heartbreak and people taking advantage of her made it almost impossible for her to trust. Ironically, the man that was eating breakfast with her at her table had shared similar circumstances and these two broken people had an unknown bond neither one of them had shared with anyone else.

"OK then, if that is what makes you feel comfortable." She said. She wasn't expecting it when she felt his hand slip to her chin and pull her face up to look at him when she spoke.

"Davia, don't hide your face from me. I like seeing your eyes and your smile. I want you to feel comfortable with me, I ain't gonna do anything to let you down." He promised her as he moved in and gave her a sweet kiss.

"I'll try harder." She said trying to maintain the eye contact.

Davia got up and cleaned the kitchen after they finished their breakfast. Daryl attempted to help her but she waved him off "You made this amazing meal so let me clean up this kitchen." She insisted.

"So Davia, I was wondering if you want to go along with me today. I want to get my stuff at the house and I know Merle won't be home this morning, so you could run with me to the house and then I want to take you somewhere." He told her.

"Where is that?" She asked.

"Secret, just wear some comfortable clothes and shoes." He told her.

"OK, you have my curiosity up." She said giving him an actual relaxed smile.

Davia took a quick shower and got dressed, then she made up her bed, put up Daryl's linens, started a load of wash and was ready to go. She had on a pair of black Capri leggings and a long pink T-shirt that hit her mid thigh while wearing her hair pulled up in a high ponytail. Daryl thought she looked adorable, especially with the silver hoop hearings she was wearing, but he also noticed she was wearing make up and perfume as well.

"Darling, we're going to the woods not the mall, you didn't have to get all dolled up on my part." He told her.

She almost caught herself putting her head down in embarrassment again but Daryl's words from earlier rang in her ears "Sorry, it's just a routine for me, kind of like a security blanket I guess."

"Well you look real nice Davia, I just didn't want you to think I expect you to always look so put together. You've got a lot of natural attractiveness to ya that I like!" He said as he took her hand and led her out to his truck.

Davia thought her stomach was going to flip when he paid her the compliment. A handsome man like Daryl Dixon thought she was attractive? Davia gave a genuine smile and kept eye contact with him after his compliment.

"Thanks Daryl, hearing that from you means more than you can imagine to me. I ain't never heard it from anyone before." She admitted to him.

"Well you're gonna hear it from me a lot more" he said as he opened the truck door for her to get in and planted a chaste kiss on her cheek before shutting the door and making his way over to the driver side.

…

Daryl and Davia rode over to Daryl's house so he could pick up his belongings. Davia noticed how sparse and cold his home seemed. It looked more like a place with the sole function of sleeping and eating than it did like a home. It saddened Davia to see what a lonely existence Daryl seemed to have, even living with his brother.

She followed Daryl into his room and caught a glimpse in what she assumed was Merle's room. The filth that enveloped Daryl's older brother's living quarters made Davia's skin crawl. Without thinking she spoke "I can see why you want to get away from your brother, he lives like a slob."

"Yeah, that's one of the reasons. He's a mean and vile son of a bitch too." Daryl told her.

They entered Daryl's room and she noticed he didn't seem to have too many belongings. "Davia, I'm gonna take a quick shower. You can watch the TV in here while I'm getting dressed and then we can get this shit out of here and go about our business, is that OK with you?" He said unsure if she would feel uncomfortable being left unattended for a few minutes.

"Sure, in fact, I can pack up some of your things while you are getting dressed" she said.

"You ain't gotta do that…it won't take me long to get my things together." He told her.

"I want to help Daryl. Now go get your shower and get dressed so you can take me on the adventure you promised me." She said with a bit of authority that she wasn't used to displaying.

As Daryl was showering Davia found a few boxes in Daryl's closet and began to pack up his things. She separated his clothes and boxed his pants and jeans in one box, sorted by color, and repeated the task with his shirts. She then picked up a third box and began to place his personal possessions in it carefully, making sure she didn't break anything in the process. She heard a buzzing and turned to see Daryl's cell phone sitting on his nightstand. He must of left it behind the previous day. Not wanting to be nosy, but also not wanting him to miss an important call she peaked to see who was calling. The number came up as 'RESTRICTED' so she just left it be. About a minute later she heard the phone ding as whoever had called left a voice mail.

Daryl got out of the shower and towel dried himself. It took him about a second to realize he left his shirt in his room and that left him in a dilemma. He wasn't at a point where he wanted Davia to see him shirtless, afraid that what she saw might scare her away. His back possessed grotesque scars that he had acquired during his childhood and teen years at the hands of his abusive father. The permanent reminder that his father had left behind had always made Daryl extremely self-conscious and he didn't want Davia to deem him a monster, or worse, pity him.

He pulled on his jeans and boots and then draped his towel around his shoulders as he walked down the hall to his room. He was surprised at how much Davia had packed up while he was in the shower. She looked up at his exposed chest and he swore that she blushed three shades of red.

Davia wasn't expecting Daryl in his half -dressed state. He had a towel wrapped around his shoulders but she immediately noticed his firm stomach and chest. He had a large tattoo on the left side of his chest and she noticed he had a few others scattered about. The sight of him made her nether regions tingle in a way she had never experienced before. She felt herself filled with lust and desire, a feeling she thought she would never have.

"Forgot to gather a shirt" he told her.

She stuttered for a moment then handed him one that she had folded and put in the box "will this one work?" She asked timidly.

"Yeah, it's fine." He told her taking it from her. He had never seen her act so nervous and the mere act of handing the shirt over to him left her hands shaking.

"Davia, are you alright?" He asked concerned.

She looked down at the floor "I'm sorry, I just wasn't expecting to see you so…uncovered."

Daryl quickly put on the shirt so she couldn't see his back and then reached out and took her hand "Davia have you ever been involved with anyone before?"

Tears welled up in her eyes and Daryl thought she looked like she had been punched. "No." She said quickly as she ran out of his room and then out the front door.

"Shit!" He said to his self. He had no intention of wanting to hurt her feelings or make her feel like any less of person. He just wanted to know if he was her first relationship. Hell, they had just met a few days earlier and maybe he was rushing into an assumption that what they had was indeed a relationship. Daryl felt like hell and he quickly decided to go after her and get things right with Davia. She already meant too much to him for him to let her slip away because he did something stupid.

It didn't take Daryl very long to find her running down the sidewalk back towards her house. His neighborhood was less than ideal for any female to be alone and he was worried about what she might run into even though it was still an early Sunday morning. Daryl wasn't fond of living in a high crime area, but supporting him and Merle didn't leave him a lot of options. It at least made it easy for Merle to acquire his illegal substances, as there were numerous dealers on the block.

"DAVIA" Daryl yelled when he finally caught sight of her.

"I'm Sorry Daryl, this is a mistake. I'm not like the other women you have been with…I don't know how to…" she couldn't even say it.

"Shhh…" he said as he pulled her to him. He cradled his arms around her and she began to sob. There was obviously more to the story than her not having any type of relationship experiences.

"Davia, I don't care whether or not you have any experience with men. I was an ass for even asking and if I could take it back I would. Obviously there is a story in your past that you don't feel like sharing, but I hope one day you will trust me enough to tell me. We will take things just as slow as you are comfortable with…I promise you. I don't want to hurt you and I want you to know what I feel for you is the real deal Davia. I ain't normally like this with anyone, but you make me want to be the man I never was." He said with as much heartfelt emotion as he had ever shared.

"Thank you Daryl. I will tell you about what happened, but not right now…I can't…it's too painful." She said.

"Then we won't talk about it. Now let's go get my things and go on up to the hills." He said taking her hand and guiding her back to his former home.

When they finished putting the last of his belongings that he was taking from the house into his truck Davia remembered his cell phone. "Daryl, I meant to tell you that your cell phone went off while you were in the shower and someone left a message."

Daryl nodded and then retrieved the phone from his room, he almost forgot about the thing since he rarely used it. He checked the phone and saw he had sixteen missed calls and his voice mailbox was almost full. He listened to his messages, and realized all of them were from Merle. He had apparently been picked up for a DUI the previous night and was down in the county lockup. Merle being Merle left Daryl several messages that went from begging and pleading to him to come bail him out all the way too insulting Daryl's manhood and informing him he was a "pussy" and that he needed to lose the "fat cow". Daryl shook his head. Merle could rot in jail for all he cared. For once in his life Daryl really was done with his brother. It left him a bit sad and a little lost, as Merle had controlled most of Daryl's decisions for his entire life, but Merle was a poison, and Daryl wanted that part of his life over.

After Daryl listened to his messages Davia noticed that Daryl seemed to be conflicted. "Daryl is everything OK?" She asked.

"Merle's locked up." He replied simply.

"Do you need to bail him out? We can skip today if you need too." She said, offering him an out if he needed it.

"Are you kidding, he can rot in there as far as I'm concerned. It's the best place for him. I'm done with his mother-fucking ass and he can fight his own battles. For God's sake he's forty-four years old, it's time to cut the chord." Daryl said in a heated tone.

"I'm sorry." She told him.

"No need to be, it's the best thing for everyone." He told her, giving her a reassuring smile.

…

After they were done at the house he drove the two of them up over the state lane to the Ocoee River area in Tennessee. He knew that today being Sunday meant the crowds that normally flocked to the area to take part in one of the country's best area for white water rafting would be greatly reduced.

Davia looked like a kid with her eyes as huge as saucers as she watched the brave rafter's shooting down the river on the class four and five rapids. "Damn Daryl, that looks dangerous but it looks like a huge adrenaline rush."

"Well I was going to take you on a hike up to a waterfall, but if you want to go rafting we can." He asked her.

"Um, not today…I would have to psyche myself up to do that. Is it dangerous?" She asked.

"I only did it once, and it can be if you don't listen to the instructor. But the guys that lead the expeditions down the river really know what they are doing. During the week this river is barely a trickle. They let the dams out on the weekends to create the rapids." He told her.

"So this is man made then?" She asked.

"Sure is sweetie. I'm serious about taking you up here again to give it a try. You just let me know when and we can give it a go." He promised her.

"I would like that a lot." She admitted to him. He was surprised that the normally shy Davia would be interested in such an adrenaline laden event, but there was obviously a lot to Davia that he didn't know, and a lot of Daryl that Davia didn't know as well. Daryl was actually looking forward to getting to know her and for her to know him better. Once again this was another first in his life. Hell, he was thirty-six years old and it was time he finally had an adult relationship. He wasn't getting any younger and if he wanted to ever truly settle down and have something solid then he wasn't going to let Davia go. She was the first woman to ever make him feel that way.

They drove up the mountain and Daryl parked at the trailhead. He pulled out his pack in the back of the truck and put a few bottles of water he had stopped and purchased into the pack. "You ready girl." He said.

She nodded apprehensively. "Daryl, I'm not in the best shape, so if I slow you down, then you just go on ahead. OK."

"Davia I ain't gonna leave you behind, I get winded too…I smoke too damn much and it catches up to me, especially at these higher elevations." He told her trying to ease her worries.

"Well I warned you Daryl, so if you are willing to put up with my slower pace, then let's get going," She said. Being out in the woods seemed to lighten her mood and Daryl could swear she was actually smiling.

They hiked for about an hour and every time they came to an opening that gave them a view of the river

Valley below Davia would stop and look in Awe.

"Daryl this is beautiful. I would want to live somewhere where I could have views like this all the time. It's just so…so…majestic. Thank you for bringing me here." She told him.

"Glad you like it Davia. I would love to live somewhere like this too. Too bad they don't allow houses built up here, but they want to protect the land and you can see why." He told her.

"Yeah, I know. It's just stunning." She replied.

They hiked for another thirty minutes and Daryl helped Davia through some of the more difficult places on the trail. Any apprehension she had at the beginning of the hike was now gone and Davia was pushing forward trying to see even more of what nature had to offer her. Daryl was pleased with his self for seeming to find something that she truly enjoyed. After they made their way through some particularly difficult areas on the trail they had finally arrived at the final destination. It was a stunning waterfall that poured out over several large boulders into a pool at the base.

"Not to sound redundant Daryl, but Wow!" She said as she stood at the edge of the pool watching the water pound ferociously down the rocks into the basin.

Daryl was caught up in her exuberation and before he knew what he was doing he pulled Davia into a passionate kiss. It was too perfect not to take advantage of the setting. At first Davia tensed up, like she had done before, but he felt her relax and the next thing he knew she was reciprocating the kiss and he felt her hands gliding up his back and into his shaggy brown hair.

They stayed at the waterfall for about an hour enjoying each other's company. Davia seemed to open up away from all the stresses that her normal life provided her. She told Daryl about her barely graduating high school because she had dyslexia and struggled with reading and writing. Her foster family was forced to hire a tutor just to get her through her senior year and they were not too pleased to have to fork out the cash.

She also had explained that she had been picked on by the 'popular' girls at school because she was forced to wear hand me down clothes and was extremely socially awkward. When you lived in foster care you took what you could get and in her case, it wasn't very much. She didn't attend her prom, but she did participate in Drama and Chorus, and was actually up for the lead role in the school play, until… and then she didn't elaborate on what happened to get her to withdraw. Daryl could see it was something major that happened in her life, but he didn't dare push the issue with her. He trusted she would tell him when she was ready.

After their trek back down to the truck they were both exhausted, but in an extremely good mood. Daryl had held Davia's hand for most of the trip back. He told her it was so she wouldn't fall, but in reality he just wanted the contact with her. He was also proud of how well she did on the hike. She was in much better shape than she gave herself credit.

They rode back to Blue Ridge with Davia singing along with the radio. Daryl enjoyed listening to her sing and it made the hour trip back to town fly by. It was now around two in the afternoon and Davia asked if he would mind stopping by the bar so she could pick up her schedule for the next week.

"Not at all darling." He told her when she asked.

They entered the bar and Dale was working and gave them each a hearty wave. "I'm actually glad you both stopped by." Dale told them.

"What's up Dale?" Davia asked the older man.

"Daryl, I heard your argument with Merle last night and I heard you say you were moving out. Have you found a place yet?"

"No sir, I really haven't started looking. For right now Davia is putting me up on her couch." He replied, and Dale noticed Davia blushed when Daryl told him about their plans.

"Well I think I might have a place that could work out for you. Irma's family has an old house that needs a lot of work, but it is an ideal setting. It's about fifteen minutes away from here and if you were interested I would love for you to take a look at it. I'm willing to sell it to you at a good price and owner finance it as well. It's just too much for Irma to take care of and she would really like to just give it to someone who would appreciate its isolation and natural habitat."

Daryl liked the part where Dale said 'isolation' and 'natural habitat'…he was more than interested.

"When can I go check it out?" Daryl asked.

"Right now if you have time. I have the keys in my office and I will let you and Davia go see it." He said as he hurried back to his office, returning quickly with the keys.

"It's down off of Apple Orchard Rd…go three and half miles and then take a right on an old dirt path. It has a private road sign up and there is a chain across the driveway. I have written down the combination for you to get in. Just lock everything back up when you are done."

Daryl nodded and practically dragged Davia to his truck, as he was so excited to see the place Dale was mentioning. He followed Dale's instructions and just as he said it took them about fifteen minutes to make it out to the homestead. Daryl unlocked the chain and they followed a bumpy old dirt road for about a half of a mile. Sure enough they found the old farmhouse just as Dale had described it. It was a large brick house with a wide front porch that had seen better days. There definitely needed to be a lot of work to get the house in an inhabitable condition, but when he and Davia walked around to the back of the house, there was no question this was the place for Daryl.

The house sat up on a hill that led down to a small lake that had a floating dock and a boathouse that had seen better days. Across the lake you could see the Blue Ridge Mountains off in a distance and because the view was due west, it meant that there would be amazing sunsets to watch. Daryl didn't speak a word and Davia looked at him "I hope you are going to take this Daryl, It's perfect for you." She said.

"It means I'm gonna have to stay with you for a while getting the place in a livable condition." He told her.

"That won't be an issue at all. I can help you with this as well. I'm actually pretty crafty and handy around the house."

"Well if you think it's a good idea…" He said, almost asking.

"Daryl, this is an answered prayer for you. You will be far enough away from town that your brother probably won't bother you, but close enough that you can still commute to work and run all your errands. And the view of the sunset here will be unreal. It would be as close to a 'view' like we saw today as you can have, and it would be yours everyday."

"Let's get back and talk to Dale. I need to get the details worked out, but you have helped me make my decision. This is going to be my new home." He said excitedly. What he didn't say was that he hoped that it would be Davia's home one day as well.

.

**Reviews? Comments? Let me know if you are liking it. I wasn't comfortable with the flow of this chapter...**

**Anyhow, Daryl's smitten with the shy girl and she seems to have bigger life issues than he does...**

**Hope to hear from you and also hope to get an update a little sooner.**

**Thanks y'all-**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	4. Chapter 4

*****WARNING**** Graphic description of an Assault on a female...be warned.**

On the way back to the bar Daryl was talking a mile a minute with Davia, and she was matching his conversation word for word. The two were discussing everything that Daryl wanted to do to fix up the old house. He was talking ninety to nothing and Davia was nodding and listening to everything he said. She was happy for him and couldn't help but share in his excitement.

Daryl nearly ran right into the bar he was driving so fast to get back to talk to Dale. Dale looked startled as Daryl burst through the doors of the bar with Davia in tow.

"I want it, tell me what I got to do and I will do it." Daryl told Dale.

"OK OK…I'm happy Daryl. Do you have any money you can put down as a down payment?" Dale asked him.

"I've got about ten grand saved, but I was hoping to use that towards fixing the place up." He told Dale.

Dale nodded and ran his hands over his chin deep in thought. "I tell you what, since the old home place is so sentimental to my Irma I will float you a loan of Two Hundred Thousand dollars, which will be One Hundred and Fifty thousand for the actual house and fifty thousand for repairs. Then you can put down your ten grand as a down payment. Would that help your situation?"

Daryl thought for a moment and then looked at Davia to see if she had an opinion. She gave him the slightest of nods reassuring him that it was a good deal. "Dale, it's asking a lot for you to fork out that kind of money, are you sure this is what you want?"

"It is Daryl, but I would like one thing in return." Dale told him.

"What's that?" Daryl responded.

"You let Irma come out and visit when she can, as long as it is convenient for you. The place means so much to her and she doesn't have a lot of time left. Her cancer is progressing and she probably has a year at the most." Dale sadly told him.

"Ain't a problem, in fact, I will work my ass off to get the place in top condition so you can see it before…"

"Daryl, that is too kind of you. I think we have a deal then?" Dale said.

"Ya." Daryl told him as he shook the older man's hand.

The two discussed the details of the paperwork and Dale told Daryl that he would schedule an appointment with his attorney later in the week to make everything official. They shook hands again and when they were leaving Davia had to almost run to keep up with Daryl who was practically skipping to the truck.

…

When they got back to Davia's house Daryl and her made a list of all the things he would need for the house. He was going to need another trip out to the homestead to double check what was going to be needed to get the house in a livable condition. Davia told him she would help him any way she could and once they had compiled a list of the materials he would need she would shop around for the best prices for him. Since she was home in the daytime it would be easy for her to focus her time on helping Daryl out.

Davia threw together a quick dinner of spaghetti and a salad for her and Daryl to eat as he continued to go over his plans. She loved seeing how happy Daryl was about owning something that was his dream. It was amazing how his usual roughness and the smile that was on his face made her stomach flutter. God he was a handsome man and she still couldn't believe he was there with her in her apartment and that he actually seemed to care about her.

After they finished dinner she apologized to him, but told her she needed to practice some songs she was working on. He told her that it wasn't any problem at all and asked her if she minded if he listened to her while she sang. Of course she told him it wasn't an issue at all and she made her way to the piano and began to sing. It was a song he had heard before, but God when she began to sing the familiar lyrics, his heart melted. He had thought she sounded like Adele, but when she began to sing one of the artist's songs, it confirmed his thoughts…It was Adele's cover of "Make you feel my love"

_**When the rain is flowing in your face,**_

_**And the whole world is on your case,**_

_**I could offer you a warm embrace,**_

_**To make you feel my love.**_

_**When the evening shadows and the stars appear,**_

_**And there is no one there to dry your tears,**_

_**I could hold you for a million years,**_

_**To make you feel my love.**_

_**I know you haven't made your mind up yet,**_

_**But I would never do you wrong,**_

_**I've known it from the moment that we met,**_

_**No doubt in my mind that you belong.**_

_**I'd go hungry; I'd go black and blue,**_

_**I'll go crawling down the avenue,**_

_**So there's nothing that I wouldn't do,**_

_**To make you feel my love**_

_**Instrumental**_

_**The storms are raging on the rolling sea,**_

_**And on the highway over there,**_

_**The winds of change are blowing wild and free,**_

_**You ain't seen nothing like me yet.**_

_**I could make you happy make your dreams come true,**_

_**Nothing that I wouldn't do,**_

_**Go to the ends of the earth for you,**_

_**To make you feel my love.**_

_**To make you feel my love**_

When she finished the song, Daryl was speechless. Davia wasn't sure how to read Daryl's reaction so she asked "Did you not like it? I can sing something else if you don't think that was any good."

Daryl shook his head "It was perfect Davia. Everything about you is perfect. When you sing, I feel it right here." He said as he put his hand over her heart. And it was true. From the very first moment he saw and heard her sing his heart had felt things that Daryl Dixon had never felt. He was falling for her hard and fast and to be honest, he didn't want it to stop. He liked how Davia made him feel and how she made him want to be so much more. If only he had a way to properly convey this to her.

"It isn't that good Daryl. I just like to sing and apparently I sing well enough to pay the bills. I'm not really smart enough to do much else, but I'm glad you like it. That means more to me than you know." She said getting up from the piano.

"I'm going to go take a shower, you are more than welcome to put your things up in my closet, and I have a couple of empty drawers for you to put some things in too. Make yourself comfortable while I change and then when I'm done you can help me put together a grocery list. I will walk to the store tomorrow and get what I can. I have a cart that I can load up and bring everything home."

"Why don't you just take me to work and use my truck." He said.

"Um…that's OK." She said nervously.

"No Davia, I insist. You shouldn't have to walk everywhere, it ain't safe." He said trying to convince her to put her needs first for once.

Davia was silent. "Daryl, when I told you I couldn't afford a car, it was kind of an excuse. I don't know how to drive." She finally confessed.

"Really? Well that's an easy fix, I'll teach you." He told her.

"I don't know Daryl, I already told you I was a horrible student." She told him.

"Nope, ain't gonna let you defeat yourself. We can do this…together." He said.

"OK, maybe next weekend we can try. I have the wedding on Saturday, but maybe Sunday…"

"Yep, count on it." He said as he gave her a kiss.

She got up and headed into the shower while Daryl began to put his things in her closet. He couldn't help but notice how perfectly organized everything was. All of her clothes were sorted by color and separated between tops, bottoms, and dresses. She had cleared space for him to put his few meager items and he quickly hung up his clothes and then placed his two pairs of shoes on the floor. He only owned three pairs in total, a pair of work boots, a regular pair of boots he wore every day, and one pair of dress shoes " just in case." He then placed his hunting equipment and the rest of the small amount of personal items in the closet as well. After he was done he then put his socks, boxers, and the remaining things that he owned into the two drawers Davia had cleared for him. He chuckled to himself "I reckon I'm officially shacking up now."

Davia had finished her shower about the time Daryl had finished putting away his possessions. She walked into her room wearing some soft shorts and a T-shirt and Daryl noticed she smelled like cotton candy. Without thinking he spoke "Woman you smell good enough to eat."

Davia blushed at the comment and then turned it around on him "Yeah, leave it to the fat girl to smell like food."

"Stop it. That's not what I meant Davia. I wish I could make you see yourself the way that I see you. Someone in your past has really fucked up the way you view yourself." He told her, somewhat annoyed that she seemed ensconced in self-loathing.

"I'm sorry Daryl. It's just I am not used to compliments. Normally when someone gave me one it was really an insult disguised as a compliment." She said, embarrassed at her earlier reaction. She was really having a hard time accepting that Daryl saw her as someone of worth.

"Wish I could find every one of them and kick their ass for what they did to you. Stupid pieces of shit deserve a good ass kicking." He told her angry that she had endured so much pain in her past.

"Trust me, they're still around. I hate to admit it, but Merle's insults were weak compared to some of the other's I had before." She told him sadly.

"I don't get it Davia, why would they say things like that to ya, and why did you let them?" He asked her point blank.

"Because when I tried to fight back it always ended up with me looking more like a fool than I already did. I just wasn't smart enough to come up with something that would persuade them to leave me alone. Guess I was an easy target. I'm not strong like you Daryl." She told him.

"I ain't all that Davia. Trust me, I got my share of put downs too. I would lash out and get in fights. Spent more time suspended from school for fighting than I want to admit. I ended up getting expelled my junior year of High School and just dropped out after that."

"You know Daryl, I don't know that much about you, and you don't know that much about me. I don't feel comfortable really talking about my past, but if we want 'this' between us to go anywhere maybe we should confide in each other." She told him, almost in an asking tone.

"OK, that sounds good. Do you mind if we go outside on the balcony so I can smoke when I tell you my story? Smoking helps me talk easier." He confided in her.

"Let's go." She said as she led the way to the balcony of the apartment. She had the balcony fixed up nicely with two chairs and some plants to brighten it up. He really admired her touch and even though she seemed to be pretty much a loner, she liked to make things nice and homey.

Daryl fired up a cigarette and took a deep breath and began to talk. "I've lived in Blue Ridge my entire life and I grew up in a sleazy trailer park just outside of town. My Daddy liked to drink…a lot, and he liked his women. Apparently my momma weren't much better than that. They fucked around on each other all the time. When I was about six, momma left and that's when the fun began. Daddy blamed me for the reason she left, even though he beat her about every day…can't say I blame her for leaving, but fuck, she left me and Merle behind. He would beat Merle, but Merle was about fourteen, and he could defend himself a lot better than I could. One night he came home from the bar, stinking of a dime store whore and he was mad because I had left the milk out on the counter. That was my first beating that I remembered. Hit me so bad I couldn't go to school the next day because he marked me up real good. Merle tried to fix me up as good as he could, but there wasn't any fixing what he did."

Daryl took a long drag on his cigarette and paused before he continued the rest of his story. Davia could see the pain flashing in his eyes and instinctively reached out and placed her hand on his free hand. He closed his eyes, savoring the feeling of her gentle touch. She knew he didn't want pity, she had received plenty of it herself in life and knew it was an insult to offer it. She just wanted him to know she was there him, and he gladly accepted the gesture.

"I took regular beatings because Merle wasn't around much to take up for me. He ended up in juvenile detention on several occasions and each time the beatings got worse. Sometimes they would be so bad he would knock me unconscious and I'd wake up the next morning covered in my own mess on the kitchen floor. Each time it happened he would justify it by saying he was making a man out of me. I began to believe it and I wouldn't even cry any more after I got to be about eight years old. Merle got out of juvie for the last time when I was thirteen and he was twenty-one. If he fucked up any more it was prison he would be sent off too. Daddy stopped coming home pretty soon after that and more or less abandoned me and Merle. Apparently he found Jesus and took up with another woman. Didn't want us around anymore as reminders of his past. Heard he got married to her and moved to Chattanooga and ironically, raised up her kids like they were his own. One big happy family, and Merle and I were left around like two mistakes that got swept under the rug." Daryl chuckled with the irony of his father becoming a decent father to someone else's kids.

"Why didn't he come back to get y'all? I mean Daryl, you were a minor." She told him.

"They temporarily put me in a foster home when Daddy signed away his parental rights. Just like they did after Momma left. They couldn't find our momma and then Merle stepped up and said he would take on the responsibility of guardian. He wasn't really that much better than Daddy, but he didn't beat me as much and as often, and I was big enough at that point to stand up for myself. His beatings were more like fights, the blows hurt, but they weren't full of the hate and evil my pa's were. Anyhow he got a job and took care of me up until I was sixteen. The day after I got expelled for fighting I came home from the grocery store to find a note from Merle and all his shit gone. He had gone and enlisted, and there I was…alone with nothing but a fucking note from my brother. I realized that all of my family had abandoned me and I decided at that point the only person who was gonna take care of me was me. So I dropped out of school and got a job as an electrician's apprentice. It wasn't much but it paid the trailer rent, put gas in the truck, and put food on the table. I couldn't drink, but weed was readily available so I spent a lot of time stoned, especially since most of my co-workers got high and it was what ya did when you were leaving the job site." He actually smiled remembering the crazy times him and some of his buddies at work had.

'You were a pothead?" She asked.

"I wouldn't go that far, but if it was around, I didn't turn it down. Merle had been sending me letters from all over the world and he was doing better than he ever had before. They had made him a sniper and he had made it up to a PFC and all. Even sent home some pictures of him with some nice looking girls in Germany." Daryl told her.

"Merle? Merle Dixon?" Davia said in disbelief.

"Yeah, but Merle being Merle he fucked it up. He got involved in a hot area in Afghanistan and they sustained heavy fire, Merle was the only one to survive out of his unit, but he saw some pretty disturbing shit and did some pretty disturbing things. He had a mental breakdown and they diagnosed him with PTSD and put him in a mental ward. He refused to stay and went AWOL. After that he was discharged and began receiving a pension. He decided he would stay out in California where he tried to settle down and be a decent citizen and he did alright for a while." Daryl told her.

"What changed everything for him, he seemed like he was doing fine?" Davia asked.

"Me," was his response.

"I'm confused." She replied.

"I was making it alright around here when I got hurt real bad at work. I cut into a live wire and was hit with a 277 amp shot of electricity that stopped my heart and sent me hurdling fifteen feet off a scaffold. I hit the concrete below like a sack of potatoes. I don't remember any of it, and my foreman Tyreese performed CPR on me and got my heart back beating, but I was still unresponsive."

Davia gasped at the thought of Daryl on death's door. "Oh God Daryl that's horrible."

"I was in bad shape. I was in a coma for a week, and when I awoke I couldn't speak, walk, and barely could remember my name. I was in the hospital and then moved to rehab where I stayed for three months learning how to function again. The bad thing was I lost everything but my truck during that time. They threw my belongings out on the lawn of that shitty old trailer and that was it. I had nothing and no one to help me. When I was released from rehab I had no where to go, and I still couldn't get the 'all clear' to return to work." He told her.

"But what about worker's compensation, it was a injury received on the job?" She asked.

"I failed the drug test, so they said they couldn't determine if I was high when the accident took place, so they said I was negligent. It was all on me at that point."

"So what did you do?"

"I lived in my truck, didn't even have enough money for gas. I was destitute, begging for food and even pan handling to try to get enough to start over. No one wanted to help. I reckon Tyreese took pity on me and he found Merle and contacted him. Merle threw his shit in his truck and came back to Blue Ridge to take care of me again. Found that shitty old house I lived in until today and he took a job as a construction worker until I could get on my feet. Once I recovered they let me return to work and when we both had an income coming in things got a bit more comfortable. But being back in Blue Ridge didn't help Merle, between his PTSD and going to his favorite old haunts he regressed, and turned into something worse than he had ever been before, a heroin addict. It's been about fifteen years and I have been taking care of him ever since, I reckon I felt obligated on account of the fact if I hadn't been a dumbass he wouldn't have had to leave his life behind. I fucked things up for him." Daryl said solemnly.

"You can't blame yourself for that Daryl, Merle is a grown man and fully capable of making his own decisions. I am impressed that he even came back to help you out. The Merle Dixon I know wouldn't do that now." Davia stated in a matter-of-fact manner.

"Well the worse thing about it was he had me convinced that he was the only person that could care for me, and that we Dixon's aren't good enough for anyone. I wanna think that isn't true Davia…do you think you could care for me? Do you think I'm good enough for you?" Daryl asked her the point blank question and he couldn't quite get a read on Davia's face. Had he just fucked up everything royally and now she was just looking for a way to let him down easy.

"Daryl, before you think you're not good enough for me, you have to hear my story as well. You might find that it's the other way around." She confessed.

"Doubt it darling. Ain't nothing you could tell me that would scare me away from you." Daryl said as he took her hand to his lips and gave it a gentle kiss.

"I think I mentioned to you before that my father abandoned my mom when he found out she was pregnant. Can't really say that I blame him. She also had a heroin addiction like Merle. Being pregnant didn't stop her and I was born addicted from all the drugs she did while she was pregnant. They say that is most likely why I have the learning disabilities I have. Anyhow, she dragged me around with her and we lived wherever we could. I don't remember much, but I do know we slept in drug dens and there was more than one time she left me alone for a few days with God knows who. One day she never came back and I was told my momma died. They just put me out on the street in Knoxville and a woman found me and took me to the police station. I was starved and filthy and was immediately sent to social services. Considering my past and the fact that I was four no one wanted to adopt me and they placed me in an orphanage. They figured out who I was after my mom's body was identified in Knoxville, and I at least had a birth certificate and a date of birth, but that was all that was left of my past."

"Jesus, that's tough to imagine someone could do that to a little girl." Daryl said shaking his head. He noticed that Davia had a few tears streaming down her cheek, obviously not used to talking about her past like this.

"I was a throw away. They found a foster home for me, the first of three. I was there until I was about eight, and then the family had a child of their own and gave me back to the orphanage. The second home they sent me too was in Athens and I was there until I was fourteen. The father got caught molesting one of the younger children so I got put back into the system again. At least the first two families I was with were somewhat caring and really did try to help me out with my disabilities. I was fortunate that nothing happened to me in the second home, but to be honest, I think the father was more interested in the younger girls than I was. I was an awkward teen anyhow and kept to myself. They did get me a portable keyboard so I could practice my music, and for that I will always be thankful." She told him.

"The father, he didn't attempt to…?" Daryl asked.

"No, He didn't, but I'm not surprised that he did I guess. He was a little creepy, but I didn't really know how to interact with males, so I mostly avoided him and he didn't push the issue. Anyhow, my third home was more like an internment camp. I had no privileges at all and they would only let me practice with my music from four to five in the afternoon. I was dragged to church every time the doors were open, which is where I met the Greene family. I envied Beth and Maggie because they were always so happy and Hershel and Annette were such loving parents. Beth was about ten years younger than me, and Maggie was four years younger than me, but she liked to hang out with the older kids, so I got to know her pretty well."

"I know old man Greene as a vet, he took care of a dog of mine once. Not real sure he liked me, but I know him and my pa ran around together back in the day. Reckon they both found Jesus." Daryl mused.

"Yeah, unfortunately I didn't get to spend much time with Maggie because my foster parents were so intent on me 'helping' around the house. I went to school, and when I got home they worked me like a dog. They were furious when my grades were slipping because I was falling behind in Math and English because I struggled with the reading comprehension. They had to hire a Tudor and spent a lot of time at the school with the guidance counselor discussing the fact that I didn't really have any career opportunities. It was a pretty lonely life and every chance I got I was told that I needed to learn how to keep house because it looked like I was only capable of getting a job in the service industry, most likely a housekeeper or cook. It really sucked and I was miserable. My senior year I got involved with Drama and for once it seemed like I found something I really enjoyed."

"You mentioned that you ended up backing out of the play you got the lead in, what happened?" He asked.

Davia shifted uncomfortably and Daryl could tell she was about to disclose something she had kept buried for a long time, sensing her discomfort he held her hand a little tighter "It's OK Davia, you can tell me anything…I ain't here to judge, just to listen." Did those words really just come out of Daryl Dixon's mouth? Something about Davia made him want to be supportive and caring, and Dixon's didn't normally do either.

"It was a week before opening night and they were having a cast party at one of the girls house. There was one girl Lori who everyone thought would get the lead role, but instead when I won the part she was less than happy. I knew she didn't like me, but I didn't' realize how much until the night of the party. She came over and offered me congratulations on getting the part and we actually started to talk. She introduced me to this one guy who was a football player and he seemed to take a liking to me…I was shocked. He was good looking and very charming. Anyhow, we began to talk and he took me upstairs. By the time we made it up the stairs I knew something was wrong, my head became fuzzy and things started not making sense. He had drugged me…and after that…" Davia began to sob, and Daryl pulled her to him trying to comfort her from the pain she was sharing with him.

"When I came too I was beaten and my thighs were covered in blood. I knew what he did to me, but I couldn't remember any of it. Come to find out they recorded the whole thing and shared it with a select few at school. Of course I was beyond humiliated, and terrified as well. If I told my foster parents then they wouldn't let me leave the house anymore, and if I said anything about it to anyone else I had been threatened that it wouldn't go well. Lori flat out told me to count my blessings because I had 'scored' with one of the most popular guys in school. I felt alone and stuck in a world I didn't belong. So I tried to end it all by downing a bottle of Xanax that my foster mother had. It obviously didn't work…I couldn't even do that right. I ended up in a mental health facility for six weeks and still never told a soul about what happened. Daryl, you are actually the first person I have told this story too." She was sobbing so hard that she couldn't breathe.

"Shhh sweetheart, I'm here with you. I promise you I will protect you and NEVER hurt you like that guy did. You are worth so much more to me than that." He told her trying to comfort her.

"Daryl, I want to believe you, but nothing ever goes right for me. I'm so scared I'm gonna wake up tomorrow and you are going to be gone and I don't think I could handle that." She said confessing her fears to him.

"Davia, I feel the same way. Can I ask you something, and I don't want you to take it the wrong way?"

She nodded " I want to sleep with you in my arms tonight, just so I know you're real. I promise I won't push it any further than just sleeping. I just need you right now." He told her in earnest.

"Yes, I would like that very much." She told him. Her stomach fluttered as she was happy he had suggested it instead of her begging him like she had wanted too the night before.

He kissed her and wrapped his arms around her as he let her lead them into the house. He took a quick shower and laid out his clothes for work in the morning. Davia set the alarm and they climbed into her bed, Daryl dressed in his boxers and a T-shirt, still not quite comfortable exposing his back to her.

"Do you mind if I put the news on? It's kind of a ritual of mine each night." She told him.

"No problem sweetheart." He said. She turned on the TV and then nestled herself into his strong arms, inhaling his scent. For the first time in her entire life Davia actually felt safe, and relieved that Daryl knew what had happened to her all those many years ago.

They were both close to falling asleep when a breaking news alert caught both their attentions.

"Tonight there were several inmates that escaped from the Fannin County Jail. Initially there was a riot that distracted the guards and several of the inmates over powered the staff. As of right now there are eight fugitives on the run and they should be considered armed and dangerous."

A picture flashed of the escaped inmates and both Daryl and Davia's mouth dropped as it revealed that "one Merle Dixon of Blue Ridge" was among the escapees.

Daryl felt sick and concerned all at the same time. Merle had really fucked up this time and now Daryl was feeling guilty because he didn't bail his brother out. "Fuck Merle." He said out loud.

"Daryl, I'm so sorry, hopefully he won't do anything stupid and will turn himself in." She told him.

"Doubt it…Merle's too stupid for that. I'm sorry Davia that you are involved with me and my fucked up brother." He told her as he exhaled in frustration.

"It's OK Daryl, I will be there for you no matter what your brother does or what you need to do for him." She told him.

"God Davia, I don't know what I ever did without you." He told her as she shut the TV off and he wrapped his arms around her and held her until they both fell asleep.

**Oh Merle...what have you done?**

**This was kind of a sweet and sappy chapter, and I am afraid most of you won't like it. I know Daryl seems a bit out of character, but I am trying to convey that the hard-ass Daryl is changing because he has found someone he cares about, and someone he thinks understands him, and now he wants to be strong for her...**

**Let me know what you think about this story. I'm very curious.**

**Thanks and Happy Sunday-Only Five more Sundays until the Season 5 premier...Woo Hoo.**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	5. Chapter 5

Merle Dixon didn't like to lose, and when he lost, he didn't take it well. The way Merle perceived things at this moment he had lost his brother to that fat fucking whore that sang at the bar. Sure, he had to admit she was attractive in her own way, but she wasn't good enough for the Dixons. Daryl needed to be with a hot chick that could ride him onto the sunset. Yeah, Merle had decided he had to do something to intervene, but being locked up down at the county jail wasn't going to allow that to happen. When a riot broke out and several of the inmates overpowered the guards Merle took his chances and slid out of the jail with the other inmates. He didn't hurt anyone, and he wasn't armed, but when he made up his mind to go, he left.

That was about four hours earlier and now he found himself at the door of April's trailer after boosting a car. April didn't live in Blue Ridge and the two of them hadn't really been together long enough for people to connect them, so he decided she would be the best option for a place to hide out until he figured out what he was going to do. He slipped in the back door to her house, finding her emergency key and quickly entered unnoticed. He was sweating and in desperate need of a fix and he knew April could accommodate his needs, both chemically and physically and he hoped she was as eager to have a go as he was.

April didn't really seem all that surprised that Merle had shown up at her house. After gratifying his physical needs the two of them took care of their chemical needs and Merle seemed to relax greatly after the heroin flooded his blood stream. He hated that he was so dependent on the drug, but he hated what happened when he wasn't using even worse. The amount of time he had been without his fix was as long as he could remember in a long time. Had he of not found his way to April's the withdrawal symptoms would have started kicking in pretty strong and he would have been in an even more desperate situation than he already was.

"When I heard you broke out I wondered if you were going to make your way to me." April told the man.

"Oh yeah babe, I knew you could take care of me." He told her hoping she would think she meant something to him. Merle liked April, but Merle liked a lot of women. Right now April was a means to an end.

"So what's your plan?" She asked.

"Well I gotta lay low for a bit, but that doesn't mean I don't need your help. First thing I need is for you to find out as much about Davia Longstreet as you can. Also, Daryl's ex Cheryl, do you think we can trust her? If so I would like to talk to her about turning up the heat on Daryl. She's the type of woman he needs to be with." Merle told her.

"Cheryl can be trusted, and I know she really likes Daryl. She told me that they had fucking amazing sex and she is eager to hook back up with him." April told him.

"Good, that's a start. I'm gonna get that pig out of Daryl's life and get Daryl straight. Me and my baby brother need to be back together and as long as that girl is around he won't listen to me. Daryl needs to learn that family is the most important thing and that only I know what is best with him. I ain't real sure what is going through his head these days…either the big one or the little one." He quipped.

"I'll do anything for you Merle, I know you are only looking out for your brother's best interest, but you aren't gonna hurt that girl are you?" She asked.

"Not as long as I don't have too. Just do what I asked you and we can go from there. I'm sure Ms. Davia Longstreet has a few Demons in her past I can use in my favor." Merle told April.

…

Davia woke up with Daryl's strong arms wrapped around her and she had to admit that it felt amazing. She felt secure for one of the few times in her entire life and this was the first time she ever woke up with a man in her bed. She giggled to herself when she felt a slight poke in her back and realized that Daryl had a case of 'morning wood'. She wondered if it was a normal reaction or if she was the cause of his body's reaction. She really doubted she had any ability to turn on any man so she just went with normal body reaction. Knowing Daryl though, he would be embarrassed knowing his body was betraying him like that, so she slipped out of bed and went to prepare him a breakfast so he could awake with some privacy.

Davia fixed a strong pot of coffee and filled a thermos for Daryl to take with him. She made some scratch biscuits and filled them with sausage, eggs, and cheese and then she found a small cooler and packed Daryl a lunch. She fixed him a few sandwiches and threw in some snacks and couple of cans of soda and then just wrote him a simple note "Thank you" and signed her name.

…

Daryl woke up alone and was disappointed that Davia wasn't there beside him. He rolled over on his back and realized that the woody he was sporting may have scared Davia away. Fuck, he thought. The last thing he wanted Davia to feel was that he was trying to push her into something she wasn't ready for. With a groan he made his way out of bed and into the bathroom silently cursing his body for having a mind of its own.

After getting dressed into his work clothes Daryl made his way out to the kitchen to find Davia sitting at the table surfing the web. "Good Morning Daryl" she said brightly. At least she didn't seem terrified or angry with him.

"Morning Darling…wondered where you went this morning. Missed ya." He said, as he blushed a bit.

Davia's eyes lit up with his admission. "Really, well I uh…didn't know if you wanted some privacy or not when you got…ahem…UP this morning." She giggled.

Daryl dropped his face into his hands, both embarrassed that she brought up the issue of his morning hard-on and amused at her attempt at a joke. "Yeah, that happens. Sorry bout it." He told her.

"Nothing to be sorry for, I know things like that happen and they aren't sexual." She told him.

Daryl just nodded, not giving away the fact that he had dreamed about Davia's naked body all night long. He was afraid that if he admitted what she did to him then she would banish him back to the couch.

Changing the subject Daryl spoke "you mind if I put the news on and see if there is any word about Merle?"

"Oh, I almost forgot, please do. I made breakfast for you so you eat and I will put the TV on." She told him.

The news cast confirmed that Merle was still on the loose from his breakout the previous night. In fact, he was the only one who still hadn't been apprehended and the police had put out the statement that Merle should be considered "armed and dangerous" which gave Daryl a little bit of a chuckle.

"I don't know about armed and dangerous, should be more like high and horny." He said trying to put a little humor in the situation. To be honest, Daryl was worried about his older brother, but with Merle being Merle he had come to accept the stupid antics that Merle often got himself involved in.

"Do you think he is going to try to contact you?" Davia asked with concern in her voice. It wasn't lost on her that Merle was probably furious with Daryl for leaving him at the jail and not attempting to bail him out, and also the fact that Daryl had finally made the decision to part ways with his brother.

"Don't know really, wouldn't be surprised. He doesn't know where you live, but that doesn't mean he can't find out. Now that I think about it I am not so sure I want to leave you here on your own today, you don't know how crazy Merle can get when he is desperate and I don't want him to come after you trying to find me."

A look of nervousness appeared on Davia's face "You don't think he would really do that do you? It would mean he would risk being caught and I don't think he would want that." She asked Daryl.

"That's a good point Davia, but Merle can be impulsive at times, especially if he has been using. Hold on a sec." He said as he got up from the table and returned with a wooden box and handed it to her

"What's this?" She said.

"It's a gun. You need to protect yourself just in case. Now of course I don't want you shooting my brother, but I also don't want you to get hurt. When Merle is desperate he won't stop at anything, including violence. I'm sure he thinks I betrayed him and he most likely is going to blame you for that." Daryl told her frankly.

"Daryl, I don't have any idea how a gun works. I've never even held one." She confessed.

"Look, it's loaded and this right here is the safety. You turn the safety off and then point and shoot. I think we can add gun handling to the driving lessons as another one of the things that I am going to teach you. I want you to be safe at all times Davia." He said tenderly.

"Thank you Daryl, hopefully this won't be necessary. Now eat your damn breakfast so you aren't late for work." She said with a bit of sass that Daryl thought was sexy as hell.

"Yes ma'am" He told her.

Daryl wolfed down his breakfast, not remembering the last time he ate so well in the morning and was shocked that Davia had prepared him a lunch.

"Girl, you're spoiling me, a man could get used to this." He said giving her a rare Dixon smile.

"I want to take care of you Daryl." She said shyly.

"Davia, I want to take care of you too." He admitted.

They discussed the house before Daryl left and had decided that they would take a ride over after he got off of work and make a detailed list of everything he thought needed to be done. Daryl then gave her his cell phone number and told her to call him if anything came up that he needed to be concerned about, or if by chance Merle appeared. "Look, If he does show up, don't let him in and call 9-1-1. Right now jail is the best place for him, maybe he can get some fucking help." Daryl said solemnly.

"I know you love your brother Daryl. Let's just hope he comes to his senses and turns himself in." She told him trying to reassure him. Whether Daryl would admit it or not, Merle was weighing heavily on his mind.

"Don't mean I won't put a bullet in his ass if he comes after ya." Daryl told her.

Davia laughed at his response.

"One more thing Davia, I've been thinking about something and it's gonna probably sound crazy, but I want you to make me a list."

"What type of list? A list of things you need for the house?"

"No girl, I want you to make me a list of ten things you have never done and want to do. You have spent so much time alone I want to know things that would make you happy. I'm curious to see what you come up with." He told her.

"Sounds like a school project, and you know how well I did in school." She mused.

"I'm serious Davia. I want to get to know more about you and this was the best I could come up with. Don't forget, I won't no scholar either." He admitted.

"Fine, I will do it Mr. Dixon." She teased.

Daryl got up to leave and before he walked out he grabbed Davia and gave her a passionate goodbye kiss. She melted into his lips and met his tongue ferociously. She had never felt this way about another person and had the feelings reciprocated. Neither of them wanted the kiss to end and finally Davia broke away. Her face flushed as she did so. "You need to leave Daryl so you aren't late. I'll be fine here, but just know, I will be missing you." She told him.

Daryl let out a low growl "Woman, you don't know what you do to me." He said, giving her a final peck on the lips as he headed out to go to work.

…

Daryl didn't realize it, but when he arrived at work he was smiling, and it didn't go unnoticed by his supervisor Tyreese.

"Dixon, you got something on your face." He told the man.

Daryl immediately wiped his hand over his face trying to remove what ever the offending substance was and Tyreese broke out into a fit of laughter.

"I was referring to the smile you are sporting. A little bird told me you were seen in the company of one Ms. Davia Longstreet…that true?"

Daryl suddenly felt uncomfortable discussing his private life. One thing about Daryl Dixon was he didn't like to share his personal life with anyone. "Where did you hear that?" Daryl said, not answering the question.

"Blue Ridge is a small town, and with what happened with Merle you might have dropped into a conversation or two. Apparently your brother was at Dale's place Saturday night before his arrest spouting off about you and Davia. Gotta say Daryl, a lot of folks are surprised. You've always had the reputation for running with fast and loose women, and Davia doesn't exactly fit that profile."

"You don't know shit about what my 'profile' is." Daryl replied angrily. Why were people so quick to judge him?

"Look Dixon, I ain't saying there is anything wrong with you going out with her. She's a nice girl and I just don't want to see you hurt her. She's been hurt by enough people in this town. I've heard the rumors and I am just looking out for her is all. All I'm saying is be nice to her."

Daryl was a little taken aback by Tyreese's comments. He reckoned that there was a reason Tyreese thought he might have had ulterior motives, but Daryl didn't see Davia the way he had seen other women. Davia wasn't someone he was going to have a quick fuck and then part ways, but Daryl knew he had developed that reputation with most of the women he had been with.

"Not that it is any of your damn business, but things are different with Davia. I ain't gonna hurt her…all those other women, that was just a dumbass drunk redneck trying to get relief. I don't see Davia that way and I ain't gonna treat her as such." Daryl assured Tyreese.

After Daryl's initial conversation with Tyreese, nothing out of the ordinary went on that day. They were working on rewiring an old warehouse in town that an investor was looking to buy. Daryl had heard something about the investor wanting to start up a dinner club that would excite the tourists that always flocked to Blue Ridge. The majority of the money that was brought into the small town was a result of the tourism industry and the apple orchards that surrounded the town. Fall time was one of the busiest times of the years as people flocked to see the color change and take a ride on the train that left out of Blue Ridge on several short trips each day. Ironically, Daryl had never been on the train…or any train for that matter. He wondered if it was something that Davia would want to do. He made a note to ask her later and if she wanted too, he would certainly take her.

…

Dale was in the bar going over his deliveries when the two police officers showed up inquiring about Merle Dixon. "Dale got some questions for you" Officer Rick Grimes began.

"Sure no problem. Is something wrong?" Dale asked.

"We're trying to find Merle Dixon before he ends up hurting someone and we know this is the last place he was before his arrest on Saturday night." Rick told the man.

"Well I have no idea where Merle is, but I can tell you what happened here on Saturday night." Dale told them.

Officer Shane Walsh then spoke "Go on…we're listening." Dale immediately didn't like the tone that Officer Walsh took with him.

"Merle's younger brother…"

"Daryl?" Shane interrupted.

"Yes, Daryl. Anyhow he has started a friendship with one of our regular performers, Davia Lonsgstreet."

Shane then turned to Rick "Isn't she the girl we went to high school with? She was a quiet girl, why would she be taking up with one of the Dixon boys?"

Rick responded "Shane, let Dale tell the story and then we will ask questions, Go on Dale."

"Anyhow, Merle doesn't care for Davia, and he seemed to be infuriated that Daryl and Davia were getting along so well. The two broke out into an altercation and Daryl ended up leaving with Davia. After he left Merle was spouting out a bunch of nonsense about Davia not being good enough for a Dixon and that he would 'see to it that Daryl realizes where his loyalty lies' and things of that nature. Daryl moved his things out of the house and I believe he is staying at Davia's house until he gets settled into his new place." Dale told him.

"Where is this new place? Do you think Merle will make contact with Daryl or go after Davia?" Shane asked.

"Daryl is buying Irma's old home place from us just outside of town." Dale told the officers.

Shane replied "Well that is one less Dixon in the Blue Ridge City limits to deal with. We take care of Merle and I think we can call it a day."

"Shane, Enough! That is totally uncalled for. We aren't here to make judgements on the Dixons we are here to find an escaped fugitive." Rick blasted.

"Sorry…you're right. Dale do you know where we could find Davia? Do you have her address?" Shane said, reverting back to a professional manner.

"Sure, let me get it for you." Dale told them as he went and got Davia's address for the officers.

After Rick and Shane slid out of the bar Shane apologized to Rick. "Sorry man, those fucking Dixon's always rubbed me wrong."

"I know, but Merle has always been the troubled one. Daryl usually ends up in fights because of Merle dragging him into the situations. Best I know Daryl keeps himself clean and works hard at his job and the biggest thing he is guilty of is being born into the wrong family. Will Dixon hasn't been around here for near about twenty years and truth be told, he was the biggest pain in the ass of all of them. Merle is going to do his time for this and we should just let Daryl be."

"Well I still ain't sure I get the connection between Davia and Daryl Dixon. You remember her from high school, quiet, shy…but talented. Didn't Lori run around with her some in high school when she was dating that Pete guy?" Shane inquired.

"Pete Dolgen. Lori mentioned that the two were in drama together until Pete's brother Mitch and Davia hooked up under questionable circumstances. Not sure of all the details, but whatever happened caused Davia to drop out of the play and then she attempted suicide. No one really seemed too concerned at the time because well…it was Davia. She didn't really have too many friends, which was actually a shame since she was a nice girl. Lori said that Davia had fallen hard for Mitch and didn't take his rejection too well. Not sure if that was the whole story, but hell Shane, that was thirteen years ago."

"You think Dixon is trying to take advantage of her? She would be easy prey." Shane asked.

"Hope not. Tell you what, we will stop by this evening at the end of our shift and see what we can find out." Rick told him.

…

Daryl was driving home from work eager to get to see Davia. She had prepared him a lunch and left him a simple note saying "Thank You". He wondered what in the world she could be thanking him for. It should be the other way around. She made him feel alive like he hadn't felt since before his mother had left. She gave him hope and a sense that there was something greater in this life than just existing on a day to day basis.

He pulled into the parking lot at her apartment and ran up the stairs to greet her, carrying something he had picked up on the way home. He knocked and then entered the apartment, not quite sure how he should enter.

"Davia you around?" He asked out loud.

"Hey Daryl…" she said exiting the bedroom. Her eyes lit up as he handed her a single red rose. It was a corny gesture, but Daryl wasn't a romantic by any means, and it was the best gesture he could come up with considering his lack of dating skills.

"For me? Thank you so much" She said as she ran and jumped into his arms wrapping him into a hug. She hadn't really thought about her reaction, she just went with what went naturally.

During the day while Daryl was at work Davia had frantically worked on cleaning up the house (which was already immaculately kept) and organizing Daryl's things for him. She had sorted all of his clothes and even repaired some of the rips and tears in his jeans. She made a mental note that he would need some new clothes, something he probably never gave a thought too, and decided she would pick him out a few things that would suit his style.

She also made the list he had requested, but she wasn't sure when the best time to give it to him was. After much thought, she told herself she would present it to him tonight when they went to bed.

"I thought about ya all day and wanted to give you a little something to say Thank You back for all you have already done for me Davia. I ain't good at words, but you make me feel like I ain't never felt about anyone. I'm not sure what this is, but I like it." He told her.

She gave him a big smile and he knew in his heart at that moment that Davia Longstreet was the answer to many unspoken prayers. His entire life had been filled with heartache and disappointment, and here was this one shining ray of sunlight that had set him on fire, and he liked it.

"No one has ever given me flowers before Daryl. Do you mind if I put it in the room where I can see it when I wake up in the morning?" She asked.

"Wherever you want Davia. I'm gonna grab a quick shower and get ready to head on over to the house. We can stop for dinner on the way back." He told her.

"Ok, I am grabbing a notebook to write down all the things you need." She told him.

Within twenty minutes they were on their way to the house. They had a nice comfortable feeling between the two of them and both were content with taking in the scenery around them.

"Any word on Merle?" Davia asked.

"Nothing. I'm surprised he hasn't tried to call me, but he is lying low somewhere. Most likely at one of his dealer's houses. Merle can't go long without getting a fix." Daryl told her.

"You know, it's a shame that he can't get his life straight. Based on what you told me the other day it sounded like Merle was a good guy when he wasn't messed up on drugs." Davia said.

"Well he wasn't a saint, but he at least made rational decisions. He had his good points but he always made me feel like I owed him something though, and I guess I did for what he did for me when I really needed him, but God, how many times do you have to repay a debt?" Daryl said.

"I think you repaid that debt several times over Daryl. You can't keep beating yourself up over something that happened so long ago. Merle was an adult and made his own decisions. You both lived the same life, and look what you have done with yours. You are on the verge to buying your dream house and considering what you told me about your family, I think that is quite an accomplishment." She told him.

"Davia thank you for seeing the good in me…a lot of people don't give me a chance because I'm a Dixon. I appreciate it." He said, truly feeling she was the perfect woman.

"Daryl I only see the good in you because you put it there. You are a good man…you keep proving that to me over and over." She told him.

"Can I ask you a question and I want you to be honest?" He said to her.

"Anything." She replied.

"Do you think I am abandoning my brother? It's eating me up inside knowing that I'm not there for him, and he probably is going to need me now more than ever." He admitted.

Davia didn't answer right away. She put a lot of thought into her answer. "No, you aren't abandoning him Daryl, you are helping him. Doing what you have done for him for so long has enabled him. Why would he try to straighten himself out if he knew you would always be there to pick up the pieces? You can't live his life for him and you can't blame yourself because he has turned into such a mess. All you can do Daryl is be there for him when he hits rock bottom and realizes what he has become. Then you are there for support, but not to take care of him. He has to learn to do that for himself." She said thoughtfully.

Daryl was silent as he thought about everything that Davia had just told him. Suddenly all the guilt he had been feeling regarding Merle suddenly slipped away. A rare emotion that Daryl rarely felt reared itself quickly and before he knew it tears were sliding down his cheeks. Thirty-six years of torment and self-blame had just left him as he let the prophetic words that Davia spoke sink in.

"Daryl, are you OK? I didn't mean to upset you. I'm sorry, but you asked me to be honest." Panic had overtaken Davia and she realized now why she always kept her mouth shut.

Daryl pulled the truck over to the side of the road and rested his head on the steering wheel as he tried to compose his self. He finally gained his composure and looked over at Davia and saw she had panic written all over her face.

"Davia…It's, I just…You just gave me something I haven't felt in my entire adult life." He told her directly.

"What is that Daryl? I'm confused." She said.

"You gave me a fucking sense of relief that all of this shit in life isn't my fault. None of it is…" He said as the tears began to flow again. Davia unbuckled her seatbelt and moved towards Daryl taking him into her arms to comfort him.

"Its OK Daryl, let it all go sweetie. I'm here for you." She said sweetly. And she was. At this point in her life there wasn't anything that she wouldn't do for Daryl Dixon. The ice that covered her heart for so many years was quickly melting and she knew she had already fallen hard for the country boy. Was it possible to love someone you had only known for such a short period of time? She wasn't really sure what love was, but she knew that whatever she was feeling for Daryl was like nothing she had ever experienced. He made her feel like she was worth something and there was someone in this world that was willing to stand up for her, and that someone was this man she was comforting in her arms.

…

Daryl had gained his composure and the two of them rode out to the house. They had let themselves in with a key Dale had given them and were going room by room making a list of things that Daryl would need. There were a few things he would need to contract out to get taken care of, but being in the construction industry meant he knew a few folks that could help him out for a good price. Daryl was listing out each item and Davia was jotting it down as quickly as it came out of Daryl's mouth. She told him she would spend the next few days price shopping for the materials he needed to see if she could find some good prices. They had also decided that one night this week they would make a trip into Dalton to a surplus warehouse to see if they could get some good deals.

Daryl felt like a kid at Christmas going through the old house. The most striking feature of the house besides the incredible view of the lake and Blue Ridge Mountains was the giant stone fireplace in the large front room. Daryl could picture Christmases and a roaring fire in the Great stone hearth. And as a double bonus, there was also a second stone fireplace in the room directly above, and that would be his master bedroom.

…

They left the house, stopped and ate dinner at a local diner, and then headed back to Davia's apartment to retire for the evening. Daryl liked that Davia was becoming more comfortable around him and he was surprised when they got home and she quickly changed into her sleeping clothes and curled up on the couch in front of the TV, patting the seat beside her for him to join. He kicked off his boots and settled in comfortably, pulling her into him as they snuggled on the couch, both of them content for the first time in a long time.

Around nine there was a knock on the door and Davia went to answer it, but Daryl told her to let him do it "just in case". He didn't want to admit it, but until Merle was caught, he was a bit nervous about leaving Davia. He just didn't trust his brother's motives at this desperate point in his life.

Daryl was surprised to see Officer Grimes and Officer Walsh standing at the front door. Davia quickly made her way to the doorway and invited the officers into the house.

First thing out of Daryl's mouth "Merle…is he?" Davia noticed he paled quickly at the question.

"We still don't know where he is. We were hoping you could help us find him." Rick answered.

The four of them sat down at Davia's table and discussed the situation with Merle. Rick had divulged their conversation with Dale earlier and expressed concern for Davia's well being. It reiterated Daryl's fears as well that Merle might blame Davia for all that had happened between the two brothers. Daryl gave Rick all the information he could about potential places Merle might be. Before meeting Davia he probably wouldn't have disclosed anything to the officers, especially since Shane Walsh was a giant ass that harassed Daryl every chance he could, but now this situation was bigger than just him and Merle, it included Davia and she meant the world to him.

After the men asked their questions Rick then changed the subject to a friendly conversation. "Davia, it has been a long time since I have seen you, High School might have been the last time. How have you been doing?"

"Getting by. I hope you have been well." She said.

"I have been thank you. I married Lori Thompson, now Lori Grimes and we have a ten year old son and a daughter on the way." Rick told her. Daryl noticed at the mention of the name 'Lori Thompson' that Davia's face lost all of its color.

"I'm happy for you Rick. Shane how have you been doing? Have you settled down yet?" She asked politely. It didn't go unnoticed by Daryl that Davia's voice was shaking a bit…He wondered if Lori Thompson was the girl who had orchestrated the horrific act that had taken place back all those years ago against Davia.

"Sure haven't yet Darling…still looking for the future Mrs. Walsh, but I have to admit Davia, you have turned into quite a lovely young woman. If you decide you don't want to spend time with Dixon here, please give me a call. I'd love to take you out and show you a good time." Shane said in his most charming of voices. Davia blushed and Daryl turned red too, but his redness was from anger, not embarrassment.

"Don't think that will happen anytime soon Walsh." Daryl said in a seething manner. Rick sensed the tension in the conversation and quickly stood up to leave.

"Thank you both for the information. It's late and we will be getting out of your hair now. Have a good evening."

Daryl let them out of the apartment and went over to Davia. "You OK? Was the 'Lori' he mentioned the same one you told me about last night?"

Davia simply shook her head in the affirmative.

"Don't you worry about it one bit Davia. No one is gonna hurt you like that ever again. I will see to that." He assured her, wiping away a single tear that slipped down her cheek.

They made their way into the room and prepared for bed when Davia spoke quietly. " I have my list."

"Well let me see it so I can see what you came up with." Daryl replied.

She handed him the list she had titled "Davia's top Ten"

1 Go to the beach and watch a sunset.

2 Drink until I am drunk

3 Have a pet

4 Sing at the Grand Ole Opry

5 Zip Line

6 Take a cooking class

7 Volunteer at the homeless shelter

8 Travel

9 Learn to knit

10 Fall in love with someone and have that person love me back.

The last item on the list took Daryl by surprise. He looked at Davia and simply replied "Davia, I think number ten on the list might be getting scratched off sooner than you think."

**I hope you liked this chapter...it was a bit emotional for me to write. I originally was going to have Shane be Davia's attacker, but that would be too obvious. I have quite a bit planned with Ole Merle and I haven't quite decided if I am going to redeem him or keep him a monster...hmmmm**

**Please leave me some more AWESOME reviews...they encourage me...and I know I say it every time I update, but I hope to get these updates in sooner than I have been. By The Way...Four Sundays until Season 5...I am STOKED.**

**Hope you have a wonderful night/day and welcome any comments and concerns...**

**Take care all of you-**

**Missy**


	6. Chapter 6

**I am curious to know what you think of this chapter...it's a bit dark at the end.**

The rest of the week went by and Daryl still hadn't heard a peep from Merle. He was Fannin County's most wanted criminal at the moment and Daryl was surprised that Merle hadn't fucked up yet and got caught, or even worse. Daryl wondered if Merle was still even in the area. Not knowing where his brother was at the time was really weighing heavily on him.

Daryl had closed on the house with Dale the day before and he and Davia had been working in their spare time finding all of the materials Daryl would need to make the necessary repairs. He figured if he worked diligently in his spare time he could have the house at least in an inhabitable condition within the month. However, there was a part of him that wished it would take longer so he could continue to stay with Davia. It was going to be difficult being separated from her when he finally moved out of her place, and until she learned how to drive it wasn't going to be plausible for her to drop in and visit as much as he would like.

…

Davia had met with Maggie during the week and they had gone over the plans for the music for the wedding. Davia would sing a few songs at the church during the ceremony and then at the reception at Dale's she would be the sole performer. She had been online shopping and found an outfit to wear to the wedding that she thought would look good on her. While Daryl had been at work and she wasn't shopping around for pricing for him, she had been spending the rest of her time on the Internet searching for items that would allow her to make some 'lifestyle' changes. Being with Daryl and being happy made her want to improve herself and give Daryl someone she thought he would be proud to be seen with. Handsome men like Daryl weren't normally seen with women like Davia and she had to give Merle credit for stating such. She wanted to prove Merle wrong, so she had decided to take a different approach on her eating habits.

One thing had been weighing heavily on Davia and she didn't know how to handle it, and she didn't really have anyone to discuss it with, and that was sex. She knew that if her relationship with Daryl were to continue as it was, sex was going to play into it sooner rather than later. She was definitely physically attracted to Daryl, but she had no clue what to do sexually with him, or any man. The incident that occurred when she was in high school hardly counted as a sexual encounter, and she had been unconscious during the incident anyway. All she remembered was she hurt horribly for the next few days and she wasn't sure if it was a result of the act itself, or if Mitch had been extremely rough with her.

Davia had perused through all of the online articles she could find regarding "how to seduce your man" and "how to make love" and her favorite was "Ten things to drive him wild in the bedroom". With Davia's learning disability she had to read the articles extra slow and a couple of times each, but she got the gist of what they were saying. She wasn't sure if it was the best advice, but it was more than she had before. There were times like these where she actually wished she had a girlfriend, a sister, a mother…anyone to confide in and discuss her situation with, but for now, the Internet would have to do.

…

It was Thursday evening and Davia and Daryl were out at his new house working. Davia had successfully price shopped for a lot of the material that Daryl would need and their trip to the Surplus Warehouse had been a gold mine as Daryl found a good portion of the materials at rock bottom prices. That meant he would be able to stretch the additional funds for the home repairs a lot farther than he had thought. Tonight Daryl was sanding down the hardwood floors in preparation of refinishing them while Davia was on her hands and knees in the kitchen scrubbing the floors and cabinets with bleach getting them to a point where she deemed them acceptably clean. It didn't go unnoticed by Daryl that she seemed just a bit too obsessed with cleanliness and organization and that she would damn near kill herself to prevent anything from getting out of order at her apartment. He believed the obsession came from her last foster family drilling into her head that she would never be worth anything unless she learned how to cook and clean. The thoughts of them belittling her like that pissed him off. Davia was so much more than those things and he was pleasantly surprised each time she revealed just a little bit more of herself to him.

Daryl went into the kitchen to check on Davia and noticed how intently she was concentrating on a particularly stubborn spot on the floor. He was amused for a moment until he noticed she had scrubbed so hard her knuckles were becoming raw. "Davia, let it go darling. Bleach and soap ain't gonna get that spot out, I can pick up some industrial stain remover from work tomorrow and that will take the stain right out, besides, it adds a little character to the place." He told her.

"I can get it out Daryl, no need to wait until tomorrow." She said stubbornly

"Davia look at me." He told her. She looked up at him as he requested and he began to speak, "It's alright if it ain't perfect, your hurting your hands going at it like you are. Just take a deep breath and let it go. OK?"

She nodded and stood up from the spot on the floor where she was working, looking down and not meeting his eyes. It registered to Daryl that she must of thought she had failed him.

"The kitchen looks amazing Davia…I was wondering what color you would paint it?" He asked trying to reassure her that he thought she did a great job and also trying to let her know that what she thought was important to him.

She thought for a moment before she answered. "If it was me, I would paint the kitchen Wedgwood blue with white trim. With all the light that filters in through the large windows it would look open and amazing. I would then put white eyelet curtains on the windows that would allow the light to come through, but offer privacy from anyone who is boating on the lake." She told him.

"OK, make a list of what we need to do that and you are in charge of getting this kitchen in the condition you would like it. What about the floor?" He asked her.

"White ceramic tile with a braided rug under where the table would go." She answered without hesitation.

"Add that to the list too. You did such a good job at pricing out all of the material there is going to be more than enough money left over to fix this place up right." He told her.

"Really, you trust me enough to let me decorate this kitchen." She asked him.

"Sure do darling. I hope you will be spending a lot of time over here…which reminds me, driving lessons on Sunday."

"I love it here Daryl. It makes you forget all the crap going on in the world and it's like your own little private paradise." She told him.

"Glad you like it, I can't believe it's mine. It's a God Damn shame that Merle will probably never get a chance to see it, I think he would like it too, but he's so fucked up right now that even if he got out of all of his legal troubles I wouldn't want him here. I wouldn't trust him to respect my property. You saw how well he treated his shit at the house we were staying at. He don't have pride in anything, and this is mine, not his, so he would most likely be jealous and just trash the place." Daryl confided in her.

"Maybe one day Daryl. Stranger things have happened." She assured him. She wasn't quite sure why she was standing up for Merle, especially after all of the shitty things he had been saying about her, but she knew Merle was important to Daryl and she didn't want to trash him, just in case Merle finally did get his life straight.

"Yeah we will see, but I ain't holding my breath." He told her.

As darkness began to fall they decided to head back to the apartment. In the truck on the way back Davia worked up enough courage to ask Daryl a question she had been thinking about all day "Daryl, would you be my date at Maggie and Glenn's wedding?"

Daryl knew Davia was going to be busy with the wedding for most of Saturday, and then she would be working her regular shift at Dale's on Saturday night. His original plans were to be out at the house working until she went on stage around nine, and then he would join her then. He had never actually been to a wedding and felt he would be out of place at such a 'happy occasion', but when he saw the look on Davia's face his plans suddenly changed. "I ain't really got anything to wear, but if it is important to you, then I will be glad to escort you as long as you won't be embarrassed to be seen with me." He told her.

"Embarrassed? Really Daryl? I'd be the happiest girl there. Don't worry about what to wear, I can stop by the Men's shop and grab you something to wear…and I promise it won't be a suit. Will that work?"

Daryl could see how much she lit up at the idea of him escorting her "Yeah that will work. I will give you some cash to pick me up something, but nothing too fancy OK." He replied.

"Nope, nothing fancy…just not jeans." She reassured him.

When they got back to the apartment Davia served them dinner she had made in the crock-pot knowing they wouldn't be home until later. It was a simple dinner of chicken and dumplings, but by the way Daryl wolfed down the meal you would have thought it was filet mignon. "Damn woman you can cook. This shit is good" He told her as he washed down his last bite with a cold beer that Davia had provided him.

"Glad you like it…ain't nothing fancy." She told him.

They both took showers and headed to bed shortly after and Davia turned on the TV to watch the news, as had become their nightly ritual. Davia snuggled into Daryl, which was now becoming a habit that she wasn't as apprehensive about as she had been in the past and Daryl took in the scent of his girl. She smelled like cotton candy and the sweet scent drove him wild and challenged him to keep his manhood under control. He wouldn't lie, keeping the physical relationship at a minimum was proving challenging, but he wanted to respect Davia and not pressure her into something she wasn't ready for. If she felt pressured, then their first experience together would prove to be traumatic and not romantic, and he didn't want her to associate sex with yet another painful experience in her life.

Both of them perked up when Merle's name was mentioned again in the news "_**Five days after his escape from the Fannin County Jail and police have stepped up the manhunt for Merle Dixon. There have been numerous break-in's reported in the area of Blue Ridge, where Dixon was last known to reside and police are now focusing on that area in hopes of apprehending the escaped inmate. Once again, they want to reiterate that the man should be considered armed and extremely dangerous. One homeowner who caught the alleged escapee in the act was brutally beaten and taken to Fannin Memorial Hospital for treatment of his injuries. If you see Dixon, please call 9-1-1 immediately and do not attempt to pursue the man."**_

"Shit…this is all my fault" Daryl said out loud. "If I would have just gone and paid his bail none of this would be happening."

"Stop it Daryl. It isn't your fault. What did I tell you? Merle is grown and responsible for his own decisions. Please don't blame yourself. Who's to say he wouldn't have pulled you down with him?" She reminded him.

"Yeah, reckon you are right…but it doesn't make this any easier. Poor guy is now in the hospital because of my asshole brother." Daryl said.

Davia pulled Daryl to her and kissed him. Daryl responded fervently and before either of them knew what was happening Daryl had Davia underneath him and both of them were lost in the kiss. Hands were roaming and Daryl gasped as Davia slid her hands underneath his shirt and began to let her fingertips glide against his stomach and chest. It was farther than she had ever explored before and he could feel her heart beating through her chest as it was flush against him. She wasn't wearing a bra and he could feel her hardened nipples pressed firmly against him and he couldn't help but let go of a feral groan as his aroused manhood was straining against his boxers. He gently slid his hands under her shirt and let the palms of his hands graze her breasts. The feeling was overwhelming to both of them…Davia felt like lightening had struck her body at his touch and Daryl felt desire encompass him. Davia let out a quiet moan and at first Daryl thought he had freaked her out, until she took control of both of his wrists and held his hands in place. It was a small step, but there was no doubt that she wanted this. Before he pushed her further he gently removed his hands from her and tried to get control of his breathing. He was going to speak, but Davia beat him to it.

"Daryl, I feel things for you that I've never felt for anyone. I want to BE with you, and if I still had my virginity, I would offer it to you."

"As far as I'm concerned you still are a virgin. What happened to you all those years ago doesn't count as losing your virginity, hell you don't even remember it…" she took her finger and put it across his lips so she could continue to speak.

"I don't know anything about sex at all, nothing about pleasing a man, but I made a decision today and that is that I want to give myself to you…completely. I want to do what I can to make you happy. I made an appointment to go to the doctor next week to go on the pill, but I am pleading with you to be patient with me. I know I'm not like the other girls you have been with, but I want to learn." She told him.

"Shhh Davia. You're right, you ain't like the other girls. They were just someone I was looking to get a physical release from. You are the first girl…I mean woman that I ever had true feelings for. When and if we get intimate it will be a first for me too. I want it to be right and I don't want you to do this just because you think it's what I want. You need to be sure it's what you want too." He told her.

"It is what I want, I'm just scared, but I think that's normal." She admitted.

"Come here baby." He told her as he pulled her to him and they intertwined themselves together and fell asleep.

Neither of them was aware of the set of eyes watching them from the balcony through an opening in the curtains in her room. Angry Merle Dixon was trying to get a gauge on what his brother was up too and he didn't like what he saw one bit. This girl had taken the one thing from Merle that mattered the most and he had to act fast before Daryl forgot about him completely.

…

After Daryl got off work on Friday he made a quick trip out to the house and dropped off some supplies that he had picked up on the way home. Since he had agreed to go to the wedding with Davia that meant that he would need to get up early in the morning and head over to the house to work until about lunch time then he would head home and get ready for the wedding. He was more than just a little nervous about attending the event. He only knew the Greene Family because they lived in the same town. He knew Hershel and his old man had run around together years earlier, but Hershel had made something of his life and had never mistreated his children the way Will Dixon had.

When he arrived at Davia's apartment she looked excited as she told him about finding the perfect outfit for him to wear to the wedding the next day. She quickly ushered him into the bathroom with the clothes she had hung up on the back of the door and told him to try them on to make sure they fit. She had found him a pair of khaki slacks that weren't quite dress pants, but looked nice, and a white collared button up shirt that fit his shoulder's perfectly. Douglas's men shop had been in business for at least three generations and when she went in to find her old friend T-dog working she described Daryl's physique and style to him and he was able to find what she deemed the perfect outfit for him.

When Daryl emerged from the bathroom in the clothes she had purchased for him he couldn't help but smile. He didn't feel like a slob for once in his life and yet he was comfortable in the style she had picked for him. It was casual but dressy enough for the wedding. "You done good girl. I like it. I can even wear my boots with it." He told her.

"Yes you can. By the way, I took the liberty of cleaning them for you today. I hope you don't mind?" She told him as she handed them to him. To Daryl, they looked brand new again.

"They look good, but you didn't have to do that, I could have taken care of it." He said.

"I wanted to Daryl. I also took the liberty of picking up some toiletry items for you too. They are all in the basket on the Bathroom vanity." She told him.

He peaked inside the basket and felt like a kid a Christmas. Inside the basket were body wash, cologne, razors, deodorant, hair gel, combs, soaps, shaving cream, after-shave, a new toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, and so many other little things he couldn't help but laugh. "Are you saying I smell bad Davia?"

"What? Oh no, I just noticed you didn't have that much when you moved in so I picked some things up for you. It was kind of fun for me to shop for you like that. I would love to do it again sometime if you would let me." She told him.

"Any time you want darling, but you can't pretty up a mess like me." He told her with a wink.

"You already are beautiful to me Daryl. I just want you to feel as handsome as you are." She told him.

"Just like I want you to realize how stunning you are as well. What's good for the goose…" He told her.

As soon as he took a shower and changed into his regular 'going out' clothes he slipped out for a quick smoke. He sat down on the balcony and took in the view of the town of Blue Ridge. As he finished his cigarette and went to stub it out he spotted something on the Balcony that caught his attention. It was a Marlboro cigarette butt, and Daryl smoked Parliaments. He suddenly was overwhelmed with a bad feeling as he realized that Merle smoked Marlboro's and he wondered if Merle had been here watching (or should he stay stalking) Him, Davia, or both. "Fuck" he thought to himself as he looked around the balcony and realized that the fire escape would have been easy access from the ground up to the third floor.

Daryl went marching into the house. "Davia, I don't want you here by yourself for a while." He told her a bit frantically.

"Why Daryl? What's wrong?" She asked.

"Unless you started smoking Marlboro cigarettes I think Merle has been here watching us from the balcony. Do you still have the card that has Grime's phone number on it?"

Davia nodded and went and pulled it off of the refrigerator where she had tacked it up with a magnet. Daryl quickly took it from her hands before she could get a word out. "Darling, you go get ready to head out to Dale's and let me handle this with Grimes. I don't want you worrying about it, I promise I will protect you." He assured her.

Davia nodded and headed back into her room to finish getting dressed for her show tonight. She had decided to wear an emerald green shirt that fit her curves and had a little more of a plunging neckline than she usually wore. She accented it with a black choker, black skinny jeans that she tucked into a pair of black stiletto boots that had a silver buckle on the ankle. She straightened her long chocolate hair and was surprised that it was more than three-quarters of the way down her back these days when she flattened out the curls. She then put on her trademark hoop earrings and wore her eye makeup a bit heavier than usual...she would describe it as a 'sultry look'. When she walked out of the room finally ready to go Daryl stopped his phone conversation with Rick mid-sentence. Davia didn't just look beautiful, but she looked fucking hot. And when she walked by she had on a new perfume that he hadn't noticed her wearing before and it put his physical senses into overdrive.

"So Rick, can you at least get them to patrol this area regularly? I know it was him." Daryl told the officer.

"I don't doubt that it was him Daryl, but a cigarette butt is hardly enough evidence to warrant stepped up patrols. It could have blown onto the balcony from someone else's balcony. Look, I'm not saying you are wrong. I just know that I would have a hell of a fight trying to convince my chief to allocate the manpower. Blue Ridge has a small police force and we just don't have the manpower to concentrate on just the one area. I'm sorry Daryl, but I will at least make an effort personally to keep checking the area."

"Fuck man, is that the best you can do? I mean, there is an APB out for Merle, I would think if you would really want to catch him you would hear what I am telling you. There is no doubt in my mind that Merle was here last night watching us. I wouldn't put it past him to do it again. One thing about Merle is he is a creature of habit and right now the people he is angriest at is me and Davia."

"I will take it under advisement Daryl. Now if you will let me go I will see what I can do. But for now, just keep your eyes and ears open and if you see him do not hesitate to call me."

Daryl sighed when he hung up the phone. He didn't want Davia to know how concerned he really was for both of them. Merle was acting crazy and Daryl wasn't sure what lengths he would go to so that he could get Daryl back.

…

"April, are you and Cheryl ready? I want you both at Dale's tonight finding out what you can about Davia and Daryl. I have sat back and waited long enough. Cheryl, you do what you can to talk to him and try to get him away from the big lump. I don't care if you gotta drop down under the table and suck his cock. He needs to be reminded that the fat little singer ain't right for him. She's got his head all crazy and I want you to remind him what he is missing." Merle told the girls.

He had been seething and planning all day after watching them through the window from Davia's balcony the previous night. Merle would never admit it, but his jealousy was getting the best of him. He had been injecting Meth for the past couple of days and in between his paranoid delusions, and his insatiable sexual appetite, he had been obsessing over getting his brother back. April had talked him down a few times when he wanted to just go straight out and confront his brother directly. She had convinced him that she would find a time that he could talk to Daryl one on one and that maybe Daryl would listen if Merle attempted to handle the situation calmly.

Cheryl just wanted Daryl. She didn't give a shit about the chubby singer and Daryl's relationship, as boundaries weren't her thing. Cheryl got what she wanted. Tonight as she was getting ready to head to the bar with April she was wearing a barely there mini skirt and a fitted halter top that had her ample breasts barely contained. Cheryl was going to let Daryl Dixon know she meant business and she wouldn't take no for an answer tonight. She didn't care if she had to fuck him up against a bathroom stall... Cheryl was going to take Daryl. She had never had a man satisfy her the way he had, and that was something she couldn't get over.

…

When Davia and Daryl arrived at Dale's that night the bar was hopping. Davia walked with a confidence she hadn't ever had before and Dale could see how content and happy she looked for the first time since he had met her. "Davia, you look stunning. It seems to me something, or should I say someone is making you happy."

"I am happy Dale. Thank you for noticing."

While she began singing her set, Cheryl pounced on Daryl like he was prey. He was nursing a beer watching his beautiful Siren sing and play when he heard the chair beside him slide out. Before he could even react he felt a hand slide to his crotch and a tongue in his ear. He quickly pushed Cheryl away before Davia could notice and his quick reaction left Cheryl feeling as if she had been slapped.

"What the fuck's wrong with you Dixon? Are you gonna tell me that mousy singer is taking care of your needs better than I could? I seem to remember you fucking me sideways on the hood of your truck on more than one occasion and you didn't complain. Hell Daryl, it was less than two weeks ago. You know we were good together." As she talked to him she had slipped her hand over his cock and was rubbing him continuously as she spoke.

Daryl grabbed her wrist "Get your fucking hands off of me you stupid whore. I told you this before, and I will tell you again, I ain't interested. As I recall, you were the one chasing after me, not the other way around and I only gave you what you wanted to get you to leave me the fuck alone. If I so much as catch you sniffing around me or Davia again you are gonna wish you never met Daryl Dixon. Got it?" He told her angrily. By now Davia could see the skank was attempting to talk to Daryl, but she also could see that Daryl was quite animatedly telling her to take a hike. She couldn't help but smile knowing for once someone had chosen her over the hot blonde at the bar.

Davia decided to rub it in a little bit more to Cheryl. Doing something that was totally out of character Davia got up from the piano and motioned for the guy working the lights to turn them all down except for one center spotlight. Completely stepping out of her comfort zone, Davia began to sing a Capella.

_**Never know how much I love you**_

_**Never know how much I care**_

_**When you put your arms around me**_

_**I give you fever that's so hard to bare**_

_**You give me fever**_

_**When you kiss me **_

_**Fever when you hold me tight**_

_**Fever**_

_**In the morning**_

_**Fever all through the night**_

_**Sun lights up the daytime**_

_**Moon lights up the night**_

_**I light up when you call my name**_

_**And you know I'm gonna treat you right**_

_**You give me fever**_

_**When you kiss me **_

_**Fever when you hold me tight**_

_**Fever**_

_**In the morning**_

_**Fever all through the night**_

She continued the sultry performance leaving Daryl, Dale, and all the other bar patrons stunned. Not only did Davia look sultry and seductive tonight, but she acted as such as well. Dale liked this new confidence she was showing and he couldn't deny that Daryl Dixon was good for his best singer. He also noticed that Daryl seemed more relaxed than he had ever seen him as well, and knew Davia must be equally as good for him.

One thing that was sure for Daryl was the way she looked tonight, her new confidence, and the way she sung that song left him longing for her in a way he had never longed for anyone. He was in serious need of a cold shower at the moment to kill his uncontrollable erection.

…

Later that night as Cheryl and April arrived back at April's trailer they informed Merle that Daryl wasn't taking the bait. He was standing firm to his loyalty to Davia and no matter how hard Cheryl tried, she couldn't get Daryl to break.

"The haughty little bitch was even gloating. She finally has herself a man and she ain't gonna let anyone forget it. I wanted to knock the smile off that fat slob's face right then and there." Cheryl said.

"Did y'all find out anything else?" Merle asked as he inhaled a cigarette.

"Yeah, there is wedding tomorrow and after the wedding they are having a reception at Dale's. Guess who the wedding singer is going to be? Heard Daryl was going with her. Also heard Daryl bought himself a house on the outskirts of town. It ain't livable yet, but apparently it is quite the place. Seems he is moving on up and away from you Merle." Cheryl told him.

"Hmmm…so baby brother is planning on playing house. I always saw myself living in something a little better than that shack we've been in for the past fifteen years. Yeah, Ole Merle is gonna be moving on in with him too." He said.

"Merle, in case you haven't forgot, you are wanted by the law right now. You can't go waltzing into Dale's place and confront your brother." April told him trying to talk some sense into him.

"Just leave it to me, I got this under control." Merle told them.

…

Glenn and Maggie's wedding was beautiful, and after Davia sang at the church her and Daryl drove together over to Dale's place. Daryl looked like he fit in and had allowed Davia to even trim his hair and he shaved for the first time in a few weeks. Everyone commented on what a nice looking couple he and Davia were together, and he allowed himself to relish in the fact that they did seem to go well together.

Davia had worn her hair curly for the wedding and had on a form fitting red dress with four-inch red-heeled sandals. Daryl and Davia were sitting with Beth and her friend Zach and Daryl actually felt comfortable conversing with the couple. Glenn and Maggie had taken the time to join them and after Glenn and Daryl had hit it off, Maggie insisted that the four of them hang out together sometime. Daryl agreed and they made quick plans to go out for dinner one night after Maggie and Glenn returned from their honeymoon in Antigua. This whole wedding thing was getting Daryl to think if there could ever be a possibility that he and Davia would one day get married. It was definitely too soon into the relationship to think about it, but if he continued to feel the way he did about Davia at this moment, this was something he wanted with her.

Beth had Davia were engrossed into a conversation and Daryl took the chance to slip outside to grab a quick smoke. Though he was considerably less out of place and less nervous than he thought he would be, a burst of nicotine would still be a nice perk at the moment.

The sun was setting as it was late September and the reception would be winding down soon as Dale would have to open the place back up at nine for the regular Saturday night patrons. As he lit up his cigarette he heard an all too familiar voice.

"Well Well Well…look at pretty boy. You too good for me now little brother?"

"Merle what the fuck are you doing?" Daryl said as he turned to face his brother. It didn't go unnoticed that Merle's pupils were dilated, he was sweating, and Daryl surmised he was using Meth. What Merle didn't notice was that as he approached, Daryl pushed the number on his cell that would ring directly to Rick Grime's phone.

"Just wanted to see ya for myself. Seems that since you started seeing little miss piggy you forgot all about where your loyalties lie." Merle replied.

"Merle, I can't continue to let you rule my life. You are a fucking mess and you keep pulling me into it. I don't wanna live my life like that anymore. I remember when you were straight, you were really someone I wanted to be then, but now…you ain't nothing but a fucking joke. I can't be around you no more and I can't take care of you." He told his brother.

"TAKE CARE OF ME? Are you fucking kidding, it seems to me that I was the one taking care of you for all those years when no one else was around to do it? Seems you forgot that."

"I didn't forget Merle, but you can't keep holding it over my head. It ain't a debt to repay, it's what family does for each other."

As Merle was about to reply they both heard a siren approaching the bar. "Boy what the fuck did you do?"

Daryl simply held up his cell phone showing that their conversation was playing to an unknown person on the other end of the line. In Merle's drug induced condition he snapped and lunged at Daryl. He began to beat his younger brother mercilessly and because Daryl had been caught off guard he wasn't able to defend himself like he normally would have been able too. As they could hear the cars fast approaching, Merle pulled out his hunting knife and ripped it into Daryl's abdomen, cutting layers of flesh as the sharp object made contact with is body.

"YOU MADE ME DO THIS BOY…NOT ME…YOU…IT AIN'T OVER." He screamed as he dropped Daryl's gravely injured body onto the ground and took off running into the woods behind the bar.

Daryl felt like his gut was on fire. Nothing was making sense and he knew he had been injured, but he wasn't exactly sure what happened. He tried to stand up, but stumbled. Determined, he crawled over to the wall and pulled himself up and followed the wall to the entrance of the building.

Davia and the others gasped as Daryl crumpled to the floor at the entrance of the bar, his new clothes covered in blood. She quickly rushed to his side "HELP ME…Please someone help NOW!"

Within seconds the police arrived and an ambulance was summoned to rush Daryl to the hospital. Daryl was bleeding out rapidly on the floor of Dale's bar and Davia could barely control herself at seeing his body near lifeless. Daryl reached up with his last bit of strength and cupped Davia's face and whispered to her "Merle did this."

**So I hope you enjoyed this...you know I have a thing for Daryl Whump...and poor boy couldn't catch a break in this story. **

**Please let me know what you think and leave me a review. **

**I Really appreciate all of the support and love this story is getting. **

**3 More sundays until Season 5...can't wait. **

**Hugs and Kisses to each and everyone of you...can't wait to hear from ya.**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	7. Chapter 7

Merle felt like his world was crashing down on him and he didn't know how to react. He had always been able to manipulate and control his baby brother, and when Daryl finally stood up to Merle and told him that he no longer wanted him in his life Merle snapped. Or should he say "fucked up royally". Now Merle was back at April's trying to get his brother's blood off his hands, literally. He didn't know what made him react so violently towards the one person that he truly cared about, other than he felt betrayed.

Merle scrubbed his hands over and over, but it seemed that the blood wouldn't leave him. The sink ran red as he washed his hands and the sight slightly sickened Merle. Especially now since he was coming down from his high and the realization of what he had done was crashing down on him. When he walked into April's home covered in blood she had let out a yelp thinking Merle had been wounded. When she realized it was someone else's blood she had become somewhat concerned, but happy that her man was still safe.

"Merle what happened?" April inquired.

"Fucked up princess. I gotta get out of this area and I need your help." He told her.

"Only if you take me with you." She replied.

"Don't think so. It's too dangerous for ya." He replied. It was bullshit, but he didn't want her with him.

Merle left quickly after informing April he had to leave and found himself in the woods. He pulled out his Meth and began to inject the drugs directly into his veins. Smoking it wouldn't do at the time, as he needed to get high quick. After he felt the drug flowing through his blood stream he leaned back against a tree and reflected on what he had done. Fuck, he had most likely killed his baby brother, the one and only person in his life that meant anything to him.

Merle still had the bloody knife on his person and as he pulled it out to try to scrape the dried blood from his fingernails. He kept replaying the events of earlier in his head and all he could think of was the fact he destroyed the one thing in his life that was good because he was jealous. Of course, Merle would never admit it to anyone…including himself. He reflected on all of the abuse that Daryl and him had endured at the hands of their father. No one knew the horrors they had suffered except for each other. He recalled the difficult decision to leave Daryl and join the military, and then the choice to return to Blue Ridge after Daryl had been left destitute because of his work accident. Daryl was the only constant in his life, and when Daryl had shown interest in Davia, Merle couldn't cope.

"Fuck Fuck Fuck." Merle began to yell, only the trees were close enough to hear his outburst. "Why did you destroy the only thing that mattered?" Merle continued to yell. Whether it was the drugs, guilt, or just plain insanity, Merle took his knife into his left hand and began to hack at his right hand. The pain was unbearable, but it was also liberating at the same time. He cut through the bone, tendons, and muscles until he was covered in both his own and the remnants of his brothers blood, and his right hand lay on the ground, separated from his body.

When Merle looked down and saw his severed appendage he whispered out loud "Well you done it now Dixon." And then he let out a crazed laugh as the blood began to cover the ground beside him.

…

For Davia, everything was moving in slow motion. She had been at the hospital for twelve hours now and she had refused to leave Daryl's side. Currently he was in ICU hooked up to a ventilator that was breathing for him. He had so many tubes and wires attached to him Davia couldn't help but think that he looked like a science experiment. The doctor's had used words like "massive blood loss" "internal organ damage" and the most terrifying to her was "wounds with a high mortality rate."

She kept replaying the events of the past day in her head. After Daryl had crawled back into the entranceway of Dale's and collapsed, Davia had rushed to him. She was covered in Daryl's blood in moments and had been almost inconsolable as she screamed for help. For some unknown reason the police had showed up just seconds after Daryl had made it inside the bar and Rick Grimes was the first person to begin to administer first aid to the severely injured Daryl. Hershel, being a vet and having a good understanding of medical knowledge immediately shed his suit jacket and began to assist Rick in trying to staunch the blood flow just so they could keep Daryl alive until the paramedics arrived.

The only blessing that had happened during this time was that Maggie and Glenn had just left for their honeymoon before Merle had attacked his brother. The wedding reception was winding down and other than the Greene family and a few others, most of the guests had left. Davia knew that if Daryl survived this incident that he would have been mortified to have appeared so weak in front of a large group of people. Daryl was a private person and having to play out the most terrifying moment of your life in front of a group of strangers would deeply embarrass him.

When the paramedics arrived they quickly stabilized Daryl and rushed him to the hospital as an extreme trauma patient. Beth knew that Davia was freaking out and had no other family, so her and Zach offered to take Davia to the hospital, which she quickly accepted. Beth had always looked up to Davia and had admired her talent, her beauty, and her strength. She knew Davia had struggled with a tough life and that her foster family wasn't known for being the most caring or kind family in the area. When Davia had turned eighteen and moved out, her foster family had moved from the area, and Beth had lost touch with Davia other than the occasional times she was with her family and they ran into Davia in public. From what they had heard, other than Davia performing in local bars and clubs, Davia had become withdrawn from society. That was why Beth had been ecstatic when she heard Davia would be singing at Maggie's wedding, and even more overjoyed when Davia had shown up with a date. To Beth, Davia and Daryl were perfect for each other, as it was no secret in Blue Ridge what Daryl had suffered through at the hands of Will Dixon.

Daryl had been taken into emergency surgery and Davia, Beth, and Zach waited for hours in the waiting room to hear news on his condition. Davia was still in her blood covered dress and Beth couldn't help but relate to the old photos of Jackie Kennedy when President Kennedy had been shot and she was still wearing her blood covered clothes as they swore in President Lyndon Johnson on Air Force One. Davia hadn't said much, but her face spoke volumes. Davia was terrified that she was going to lose the man she was involved with.

Beth, sensing how upset Davia was, moved over to sit beside the woman while they were in the waiting area of the hospital. She gently took Davia's hand into her own and began to lovingly caress it while Zach told them he would go get them all coffee. It looked like it was going to be a long night and Beth wasn't going to abandon the woman that she had always looked up too in her most desperate moment. "Davia, I'm here for you as long as you need me." She reassured.

"You don't need to do this Beth. I don't want to put you out by any means. I can handle it on my own." Davia replied.

"I know you can, but I don't want you to have too. No one should have to go through something like this by themselves."

Zach returned with the coffee and the three of them waited for the Doctor to come and update them on Daryl's condition. As they were waiting a huge commotion broke out at the front entrance to the hospital and all three turned to see news trucks, media, cops, and various other onlookers bursting into the waiting room. Something had happened and before they could register what was going on, a reporter made a beeline towards Davia in an attempt to get an interview with her.

Fortunately hospital security intervened and kept the reporters at bay as the trio continued to wait for the news on Daryl. The doctor, who had a name that Davia couldn't pronounce but told her to just call him "Dr. S" came into the waiting room and gave them an update on Daryl's condition. He had survived the surgery, but he would need another surgery soon. Currently they had not closed his wounds. His Liver, stomach, spleen, and lung had all been lacerated by Merle's attack and they had gone in to repair the wounds. Daryl's breathing was compromised so they had chosen to hook him up to a ventilator and would close up the abdominal wounds as soon as they were sure that they had all of the bleeding under control. As the night passed into the wee hours of the morning Beth and Zach had to leave as they had obligations in the morning, but Beth promised to return and bring Davia a change of clothes as soon as she was free. She gave Davia a quick hug and Davia gave her a key to her apartment so Beth could pick her up a few things.

They had moved Daryl into ICU and Davia's heart broke as she looked at this man she deeply cared for. His pallor was as pale as she had ever seen anyone, and besides the obvious wounds across is lower torso, his body was covered in bruises and both of his eyes were blackened and almost swollen shut. Apparently Merle had inflicted quite the beating on Daryl in his fit of rage and Daryl hadn't been able to defend himself. Davia guessed that Daryl would have never thought his brother was capable of turning on him like he had, which resulted in Daryl having his guard down. Davia also felt a huge sense of guilt. Had Daryl not chosen to be with Davia the events from a week ago probably wouldn't have happened. Merle would have been drunk, Daryl would have taken him home, and Merle would have never ended up in jail. Now she prayed that Daryl didn't blame her as well for destroying his life. She had grown so attached to this man in such a short period of time she didn't want to lose him, but if he survived he probably was going to see the truth of all this and realize it was Davia that caused the entire debacle.

Regardless of what would happen down the road, Davia had made up her mind she wouldn't abandon Daryl while he was in this vulnerable state. If He chose to rid himself of her once he healed up, then she would take it hard, but she would understand. Davia was used to disappointment in life, and she didn't think this situation would turn out better. However, right now the most important thing to her was Daryl's health and recovery. Seeing him so broken hurt her deeply and she wanted nothing more than to go back twenty four hours and change the way things had turned out.

Davia pulled up a chair beside Daryl's bed and gently took his bandaged hand into hers and began to wait. She would wait with him until he woke up or…she didn't want to think about it. She just wanted him to survive so that she could apologize to him for what she had done. Davia also prayed that he wouldn't rid himself of her when he finally came to the realization that she was a poison in his life like she had been in everyone else's she had ever cared about.

…

Rick Grimes had been surprised when his phone rang and he answered to hear a conversation on the other end. He quickly recognized Daryl's voice and realized the other individual on the line with Daryl was his brother Merle. Rick quickly jumped into his squad car and headed towards Dale's bar where he knew Daryl had attended Maggie and Glenn's wedding with Davia. He radioed back up from the radio in his car and quickly headed towards Dale's place. He had heard the altercation between the Dixon brothers and based on the feedback he heard he knew something grave had happened to Daryl. They arrived to find that Merle had already left the scene and that Daryl had been severely injured at the hands of his older brother. Rick couldn't comprehend how a brother could turn so viciously on his own family member, but then again Rick had never been desperate and strung out either.

After seeing the condition Daryl was in, Rick wasn't sure if Daryl was even going to survive. It seemed a shame, as Rick actually liked Daryl. Yeah, he had his rough edges, but he seemed to also possess a strong sense of right and wrong and apparently that had been the catalyst for Daryl wanting to distance himself from his older brother. Well it was that and his relationship with Davia. Rick had known, or should he say 'known of' Davia since high school. She was a cute girl that he would say bordered on timid, until it came time for her to sing. He knew she had lived a shitty life in foster care and after an incident in high school with one of the guys on the football team she pretty much became a recluse. He didn't know the exact details, but he suspected it had to do with a tryst gone badly. Lori had told him that she had a crush on the guy and after they had slept together the guy had ditched her, and that had sent Davia spiraling out of control. It didn't seem to fit and the cop in Rick had never completely accepted the story.

Rick was now determined more than ever to find Merle Dixon and bring him to justice. It was obvious that Merle was considered an extreme threat to the public and if he could turn so vicious on his own brother, there would be no stopping him if he felt threatened by someone he didn't know. Merle had already allegedly attacked one man that had caught him breaking into his house and issued a vicious beating to the guy. Now the stakes were raised and Merle's desperation made him even more of a threat.

Fortunately a break had come shortly after Merle's attack on Daryl. An elderly woman in a trailer park across town had reported seeing a suspicious man that met Merle's description covered in blood entering through the back door of the trailer across from her.

Within twenty minutes of the call Rick was on his way to check out the situation. He had summoned the Georgia State Bureau of investigation as well as backup from the Blue Ridge police department and inside the trailer they found April Langley, higher than a kite and with a huge stash of heroin and Meth stored underneath her bed. April was an attractive girl, but looked older than her thirty- two years of age. Apparently she had been trafficking drugs for a while and using Dale's place as a front to meet up with her buyers. The only reason Rick knew all of this was that April volunteered all of the information the first minute that law enforcement approached her home. She told them that Merle had been there but he had left about an hour earlier.

A K-9 unit had arrived and they quickly had picked up Merle's scent through the woods. They heard hysterical laughter right before they stumbled upon a drugged out Merle covered in his own blood and handless. His self-amputated hand was sitting in the dirt beside him and Rick was in total disbelief as to what he was seeing. Merle had lost so much blood that Rick wasn't even sure how the man was still conscious.

They carted Merle out of the woods and he was quickly taken to the hospital, the second Dixon to be taken in as a trauma patient that night. As the media got wind that Merle had been apprehended a fury of reporters emerged upon the hospital to get details of what had happened with the Dixon brothers. With Blue Ridge being a small town it didn't take the media long to find out that Davia was involved with Daryl and she suddenly became a sought out source for an interview. Thankfully the hospital security had prevented reporters from approaching her while she waited for Daryl to come through surgery and she also was unaware that Merle had been captured as well as amputated his own hand. For the first time in 10 days the Dixon's were residing under the same roof, under completely different circumstances.

…

Sun had begun to filter through the window and Davia still hadn't slept. She remained by Daryl's bedside waiting for him to wake. The doctor would be in soon to remove Daryl from the Ventilator and if he did well then they would take him down for the second surgery. It was now Sunday morning and Davia had remembered Daryl telling her he was going to teach her to drive today. Davia fought back a sob thinking about the fact that Daryl may never get the chance to do so.

Tears were pouring down her face as the nurse came in to check Daryl's vitals. "Oh honey, you haven't moved all night. Why don't you go grab a cup of coffee while I'm in here with him." She said.

"No, that's OK, I don't want him to wake up alone." Davia told the nurse.

"Well I will have some breakfast and coffee brought in for you. My name is Carol and you must be Davia. Your name is all over the news." Carol informed her.

"What? Why?" Davia asked confused.

"This story with Daryl and his brother is the biggest thing to happen in this area in a long time. I can't believe that Merle cut off his own hand before they caught him." Carol told her.

"What are you talking about? When did they catch Merle and how do you know he cut off his hand? That doesn't seem like Merle. He loves himself too much to do something like that." Davia said.

"Merle Dixon's exploits are legendary in these parts, and I have to admit I'm shocked too. They have him here in the hospital, but of course he is under heavy guard. He came in a couple of hours after Daryl last night, high as a kite. Apparently he is feeling remorse over what he did to Daryl." Carol informed Davia.

"That's even harder to believe. I hate to say it, but if he dropped dead right this minute I wouldn't give a damn. What he did to Daryl is unforgivable and so help me if He makes it and Daryl doesn't, I might take out Merle Dixon myself." Davia said angrily. It wasn't her normal nature to be vengeful, but she was so angry at the moment she couldn't help but express her self.

"I will pretend I didn't hear that Davia, but I also would probably do the same thing." Carol admitted to her.

Davia held onto Daryl's hand tightly as Carol was checking his vitals and drawing a few vials of blood. She noticed that he seemed to squeeze her hand and she looked over as his eyes began to flutter open. "Carol I think he is waking up." Davia said in a hopeful voice.

Daryl woke with an agonizing pain in his belly and completely confused as to where he was. He started panicking when he realized he was intubated and began to pull on the tube running down his throat.

"Woah Daryl honey, calm down." Carol said in a soothing voice as she placed her hands on his arms to hold them down. She quickly pushed the Nurse call button to get another nurse to come in and assist her with securing Daryl.

Davia quickly spoke in as a calm of a tone as she could muster "Daryl it's me. Please don't pull on the tubing sweetie. It's helping you to breathe."

Daryl was unable to speak, but hearing Davia's voice calmed him enough that he was able to register the commands that Davia and Carol were issuing to him. "Just let the machine breathe for you Daryl and don't try to fight it. We will get the doctor in here to see if we can remove it." Carol told him.

Daryl tried to relax, but it was difficult because he felt like he was being suffocated. Davia kept talking to him "Just relax Daryl, I'm here with you and I'm not going anywhere." She whispered to him. He responded by gripping her small hand as tightly as he could.

Dr. S entered the room and they decided that the best thing to do was remove the ventilator. It appeared Daryl was fully capable of breathing on his own at this point and the distress that the machine was causing Daryl wasn't a good thing. After it was removed they sedated Daryl and took him back into surgery and with any luck they would be able to close up his wounds and Daryl could begin the healing process. The doctor told Davia that Daryl was doing remarkably well considering his injuries. His vitals were strong and he attributed it to Daryl's good health and relatively young age.

While Davia was waiting for Daryl to return Beth and Zach showed back up. It was now close to lunchtime and Beth could see how exhausted Davia was. "Davia have you even slept at all?" She inquired.

"No, but I will when I know Daryl is going to be OK." She told the girl.

Beth looked at Davia "You aren't going to do him any good if you are dead on your feet. Why don't you take a shower in the bathroom and then get some rest. We won't leave you until Daryl is back in the room. Come on Davia, your killing yourself."

"I might feel better after a shower." She agreed.

Davia took the clothes Beth had brought her and went into the small hospital bathroom to take a shower and change. While she was getting cleaned up Beth and Zach took the pullout chair and fixed it up so Davia could get some rest. When Davia emerged from the shower Beth and Zach led her to the new makeshift bed and coaxed her into lying down and getting some sleep. Within minutes Davia was out and Beth and Zach quietly turned on the small TV and waited for news on Daryl.

And they waited for five hours. When Daryl was finally rolled back into the room and exhausted Dr. S followed in to address Davia. "It took longer than we expected. We had to repair a few bleeders, and we ended up removing his spleen. However we have his wounds closed up now and the only thing we need to monitor is infection. It looks like he is going to pull through. To be honest with you I have never known anyone to survive such a serious wound. Mr. Dixon is one lucky man."

A groggy Davia replied "How long will it take him to heal up?"

"With the staples and sutures in his abdomen he will be limited with his movement for a few weeks. When we remove them I would guess it would be another month before he is able to return to normal activities. I would estimate he will be out of work for a good two to three months." The doctor informed her.

"I'll make sure he takes it easy during that time." Davia let the doctor know.

"Oh, we also had to give him three units of blood. He was also issued three units last night as well. However, all things considered he is doing well. He's a strong man and very fortunate. Right now we will continue to administer fluids and antibiotics and he will most likely be a patient for a week until his antibiotic treatment is completed and we are sure that he remains stable." Dr S told her.

"Thank you for saving his life." Davia said as tears slipped down her face. She was suddenly overwhelmed with a huge sense of relief.

No matter what it took, she would make sure that Daryl had a full recovery and that she would spend the rest of her life letting him know just how much he meant to her. Almost losing the man she just met opened up her eyes and made her realize just how important he was becoming to her. Davia was falling in love for the first time, and she liked the way it felt.

**I hope you aren't disappointed with this chapter. Not a lot of action, but there is PLENTY to come. I promise.**

**Please feel free to offer up a review and let me know what you think or if you are disappointed with this chapter too...I will understand. I have lots going on in my head, but sometimes it gets difficult to put it down the way I want it to come across to the reader. **

**Love you guys and I am thankful for the support and kind reviews. Take care and 2 more sundays before we get the real Daryl Dixon back.**

**Thanks-**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	8. Chapter 8

Daryl had been back in the room for a couple of hours and still had not woken. Carol had been in to check on him before her shift ended and assured Davia, Beth, and Zach that it was normal for him to be sleeping because He had been through quite a traumatic ordeal and his body needed to rest. He appeared to at least be resting comfortably and at this time it was the best that Davia could hope for.

Beth and Zach made sure that Davia ate dinner and then left shortly thereafter. Once again Beth agreed to go by and pick up some clothes and bring them back to Davia. She knew that Davia would refuse to leave Daryl while he was in such a vulnerable position but also knew the girl would completely neglect herself in return.

Around ten that night Daryl began to stir and Davia gripped onto his hand so he knew she was with him. Because of the swelling from Merle's beating, Daryl's eyes were barely more than slits. He looked confused at his surroundings but it didn't take him long to realize where he was and that Davia was with him. He tried to speak, but his throat was raw as a result of the tube that had been there earlier. All he managed to muster was a very raspy whisper. "Davia you need sleep."

"I promise I will get some, don't wear yourself out trying to talk." Whether it was the exhaustion or relief she didn't know, but tears once again flowed down her cheek. Daryl struggled, but reached his hand up to wipe the tears from her cheek. He then took her hand and brought it too his parched lips and gently kissed it. "Don't cry for me Davia…I'll be fine." He tried to assure her.

She nodded and continued to hold onto him. His hand was her lifeline to him right now. She longed to be in his arms or to be able to wrap her arms around him, but Daryl was a long way from any of that happening. He began to drift back to sleep, but before he did he whispered on final thing to her "Driving lessons are going to have to wait."

…

Davia had Daryl's cell phone and as he slept she made a call to Tyreese to tell him what had happened. Tyreese told her he would stop by the hospital to check on Daryl after work the next day, and for her not to worry about anything. Daryl would be eligible to collect short-term disability (at a reduced salary) during his recuperation and that meant that he would still be getting a paycheck. He was also blessed to have decent health insurance, which meant the hospital bills would be taken care of. At least that was one stress that would be relieved.

Davia was also surprised when Dale and Irma stopped by to check on Daryl late Sunday night. Dale insisted that Davia take the week off from performing, and she said she would consider it. Davia really didn't want to forego her paycheck though, especially now that Daryl would be collecting a reduced income while he convalesced. She was willing to do anything to make sure he was taken care of. What had happened to him was not his fault, and she didn't want him to suffer financially, especially since he had just purchased the house and had yet to make his first mortgage payment. She knew it was going to kill him to not be able to work on the house to get it in live-in condition, but his physical limitations at the current time were going to prohibit him from doing any construction.

Daryl awoke again close to midnight and saw that Davia hadn't moved much. She was still holding onto his hand and looked uncomfortable in the chair beside his bed. Speaking was difficult for him, but he still managed to issue a hoarse whisper "baby you gotta get some rest."

"Shhh Daryl, don't try to talk." She told him.

"Pull the reclining chair over beside the bed and sleep." He told her. Even in his weakened condition he was still concerned for Davia's well being.

She did as he told her and within a few moments he felt he hand slacken and she was fast asleep. It was as if she was waiting for permission from Daryl to rest. Daryl took in his surroundings and realized he had been catheterized. "That's not gonna feel good coming out." He thought to himself. He couldn't see his abdomen, but he could feel it and he knew it must have been a mess. He felt incredibly weak and just the slightest movement both hurt and exhausted him. Daryl had always been a very physically active person and being injured like this was not something he wanted to deal with.

There wasn't one part of him that didn't hurt or ache and if he barely attempted to move his torso he was overwhelmed with a burning pain that radiated through his body. "Another fucking scar to add to the collection" Daryl told himself. He began to replay the events of the previous day in his head and his mind quickly went to Merle. He wondered where Merle was and if he had been apprehended. Daryl felt like a traitor by doing what he did to Merle, but Merle's present state of mind was dangerous, and Daryl didn't want to risk any harm coming to Davia. Had it just been him involved, he would have let Merle go about his business, but this was different and the one person he began to think about more than himself was worth protecting, even if it was from the only family he had left. He reckoned he was a disloyal piece of shit, but when it came to Davia, he didn't care.

He moved his head to take in Davia's sleeping form. To him she looked like a beautiful angel, so full of love and kindness. His body longed to hold her in his arms, to kiss her, and one day soon he hoped to make love to her. What? Daryl Dixon wanted to actually make love to a woman, and not fuck her senseless so he could gain a quick physical release. He wanted all of Davia for himself, and even after knowing her for just a short period of time, he couldn't imagine what it would be like not to have her in his life. She was his saving grace, and he wanted to reciprocate to her. If this was what love was like he finally understood why people spoke so highly about it. Daryl couldn't carry a tune in a bucket, but Davia Longstreet made his heart sing. His last thoughts before he drifted back into sleep were of the two of them walking hand and hand at the beach, watching a sunset as warm water encompassed their feet.

…

Davia was woken up by a light knock on the door to Daryl's room. She quietly answered for whomever to knock to enter, and was surprised when a feeble looking older man entered, accompanied by an African American woman.

"Hello Miss, My name is William and this is my wife Jacqui. We heard about the trouble on the news and the Lord led me here to pray over the young man." He said kindly.

"Um OK, I just ask that you don't wake him up." She replied. There was something familiar about the man and she wondered if she had gone to church with him at some point in her past. He seemed to be kind and gentle, but it was obvious that life had taken a toll on his body.

William and Jacqui made their way to Daryl's bedside and gently laid hands on him and began to pray. She couldn't quite place her finger on it, but the look that William gave Daryl almost looked pained. She wondered if he had suffered a loss of a child at some point in his life. As if he could read her mind he spoke "Lost my boy's about twenty years ago, seeing this young man like this brings back a lot of painful memories." Davia noticed the man had tears in his eyes and his wife had reached out and placed her arm on the older man's shoulder, trying to comfort him.

Shortly thereafter, William and Jacqui left, but Davia had a feeling that there was more to the story than what he had told her. Her thoughts were interrupted when Carol came in the room to check on Daryl. "Not in a million years would I have thought that Will Dixon would stop by to check on his son. He's been gone from these parts for nearly twenty years. It looks like he has changed drastically in that time."

Davia was speechless. That was Daryl's father? The evil man who had placed all those vicious marks on Daryl's back and the man who had destroyed any sense of self-worth that Daryl ever had. Davia couldn't help it, as she was suddenly overcome by rage.

"Will Dixon…I'm glad Daryl wasn't awake for the visit. That man doesn't deserve to share the same air that Daryl breathes." Davia said firmly. Apparently a little too firmly as her voice roused Daryl from his sleep as he caught the tail end of her conversation.

"Who was it" he croaked out. His battered throat refused to let him speak in anything other than a weak whisper.

Davia and Carol both turned to look at Daryl and he suddenly felt very uncomfortable. Apparently something had happened while he was asleep and he picked up on anger on Davia's face and curiosity on Carol's. Carol looked to Davia letting her know she needed to tell Daryl.

"You had a visitor while you were asleep. It was your father and his wife." Davia said flatly.

Daryl couldn't have been more shocked at the news Davia just delivered him. She noticed a gambit of emotions rolling over his bruised face. However, he remained silent.

"Daryl are you OK?" Davia asked concerned about his lack of reaction.

He simply nodded. Speaking was too painful. To be honest, Daryl wasn't sure what he was feeling at this moment. It had been over twenty years since he had last seen or heard from his father. The man had never given a damn about him in the past and had caused him unspeakable harm physically and emotionally. Daryl didn't know how to process the news that one of the biggest ghosts from his past had come to check up on him.

Carol spoke to him calmly "Daryl I need you to relax so I can draw some blood. Your too tense right this minute and its going to make it difficult. If you want I can make sure he doesn't return unless you give him approval."

Daryl didn't move or say anything. Davia guessed that he didn't really know what to say or how to react. She did notice that his knuckles were white and he was grasping the sheets tightly. Quickly she took his tensed hands into hers and began to rub them gently. She moved so she was close enough to whisper in his ear "Daryl, relax and breathe so Carol can draw your blood. Don't worry about your father another moment, I will make sure that he doesn't return. If I had known it was him in the first place I would have never let him in here." She assured him.

Daryl whispered "How did he look?"

The question surprised Davia, why would Daryl care? "Old, like he had lived a rough life."

Daryl nodded again. Carol quickly finished drawing his blood "Daryl make sure you get plenty of rest today. A respiratory therapist will be in to go through some breathing exorcises with you in a couple of hours. We can't have you developing pneumonia and they also want to make sure the laceration to your lung isn't going to cause any prolonged problems. Dr. S will be in later to check on you as well. Your blood pressure is a little higher than I like it, so you need to relax or we will need to sedate you. Right now you need to focus on healing up and worry about the other things later."

After Carol left Daryl motioned for Davia to come over and sit beside him again. Holding her hand gave him a calmness that had always been difficult for him to achieve. Daryl finally asked the question Davia had been dreading "Merle?"

"I don't know all the details Daryl, but he was brought in shortly after you. They said he cut off his hand in some drugged out state."

Daryl tried processing the news that Davia had just told him, but not in a million years would he have expected Merle to try to cut off his hand. Merle loved Merle too damn much. He didn't get too much time to process that thought before Rick Grimes knocked on the door and entered the room.

"They said you were awake Daryl and I wanted to talk to you and get your official statement." Rick said.

Davia spoke immediately "Can it wait Rick? He can barely speak."

"It won't take long, and we really need to get the official statement while it is still fresh on his mind." Rick replied.

Daryl nodded in approval. Rick could see how tired and weak Daryl looked, and he really hated to do official business with someone in Daryl's current state, but he also didn't want the state's case against Merle to weaken because of the length of time that had passed since the incident. He decided he would ask the questions in a manner where Daryl wouldn't have to speak too much.

"OK Daryl let's begin. When you called me from your phone how much time had passed between first encountering Merle and you making the call? I heard the conversation and I do have it recorded." He informed Daryl.

"Immediately" Daryl replied, still only able to muster a whisper.

"Did he disclose where he had been hiding out?" Rick asked.

"No"

"Had you had any contact with him prior to the incident at Dale's bar?" Rick inquired.

"No…I think he was at Davia's the night before watching us. I called you about that too." Daryl managed to croak out. Davia was watching Daryl struggle to get out his answers and it was killing her. She hated seeing someone as strong as Daryl so weak at the moment.

"OK Daryl, I need you to tell me exactly what happened when he first approached you in the parking lot at Dale's. Take your time because I know it's difficult for you to speak right now." Rick said.

"Went out to smoke, he showed up…" Daryl took a few breaths then continued "called me pretty boy."

"And how did you react to that? Did you instigate anything with him?" Rick asked.

Daryl shook his head. He drew another breath "Told me I was disloyal and I told him he wasn't worth a shit strung out. He was fucking higher than a kite" Daryl informed the officer.

"The toxicology report came back and confirmed that he had Methamphetamine and heroin in his system, so your observation of his condition was correct. At what point did he attack you Daryl?" Rick inquired.

"When he heard the sirens. He knocked me to the ground, began to beat me, then he gutted me with his knife." Daryl said, wincing in pain as he recalled Merle's violent attack.

"Did he say anything while he attacked you?"

"Told me I made him do it. That's all I remember. I crawled into the bar and collapsed." Daryl told him, the last words trailing off as Daryl fought hard to remain conscious. The conversation had worn him out and Rick knew Daryl had met his limits.

"Thanks Daryl." Rick said.

"Rick, I wanna see him" Daryl managed to get out.

"I don't think it's a good idea, but I will see what I can arrange." Rick told him.

Davia then spoke "I agree with Rick. Daryl you can't even walk or sit up, I don't think you should get yourself worked up over Merle."

"Something I gotta do." He said as he slipped into a hazy sleep.

…

After Rick had received Daryl's deposition, Daryl had fell into a deep sleep and remained there for the next two days. He woke up briefly when Carol or any of the other nurses would come in to draw blood or check his vitals, or if the Respiratory Therapist would come in and have Daryl do breathing treatments, but other than that, he slept. Davia remained faithfully by his side the entire time and had relied heavily on Beth and Zach dropping by each day to bring her a change of clothes or anything else she needed. She was greatly indebted to the young couple and made a mental note to do something-extra special for them once Daryl was healed up.

Tyreese had dropped by to check on Daryl on Monday night, and there had been various other visitors during those couple of days. Some church people that Davia had known back in the day, including her old pastor. Hershel even stopped by to check on Daryl and to offer any support that he or Davia would need. Davia was truly touched by the kindness everyone had shown. Dale and Irma dropped by again and Once again Dale offered to let Davia have some time off, but she decided it was best if she would perform. She really could use the money to help Daryl get through this tough time.

On Tuesday afternoon Daryl woke up for good. He was healing remarkably well and Dr. S said they should try to get him up and on his feet. Movement would be difficult with his staples, but he hadn't developed any signs of infection and after a quick scan it looked like there were also no signs of any internal bleeding. Daryl Dixon was a lucky man.

He had regained his voice, albeit roughly, and he asked about Merle. Davia said she hadn't heard anything on his condition, but she knew he was still a patient at the hospital. Rick had been unable to clear a visit for Daryl and Daryl was less than happy about that.

Tuesday evening Carol arrived for her shift and informed Daryl that they were going to have to remove his catheter. The look of horror on Daryl's face spoke volumes and Davia almost wanted to giggle as she thought about the poor individual whom would be tasked with removing the medical device. After a tense discussion, Daryl told Carol he would feel more comfortable with a male attendant handling the chore, and Carol actually looked relieved.

Davia decided it was a good time to go grab a coffee while Daryl went through his little personal hell. There wasn't any way he would want her there while they took care of removing the catheter. The lucky Medical intern who had been selected to perform the procedure was a little nerdy looking man named Milton. Davia just gave him a look of pity as he entered the room and she exited it to retrieve her coffee. She wasn't very far down the hall before she heard a stream of obscenities that would make a sailor blush. At least Daryl had gained his voice back.

She returned to him about fifteen minutes later with coffee in hand. He looked a little more comfortable now and she guessed he was probably relieved to have the catheter removed. He even managed a smile for her when she sat down next to him. "How did it go?"

"Don't want to talk about it. Worse thing is now I gotta piss which means either I figure out how to get myself up or I pee in a jug." He said. Davia was fighting hard not to laugh. As bad as she felt for Daryl's dilemma, she found it amusing that he was still holding onto a bit of vanity.

"I can help you try to get up, but we may need someone else. You want me to call Carol?" She asked.

He shook his head "yes" and she hit the nurse call button. Carol made her way to Daryl's room and the two of them managed to get Daryl up on his feet. His legs barely held his weight, but after some patience and some colorful swearing, they managed to get Daryl to the bathroom, and left giving him his privacy. Miraculously he managed to do his business and open the door so Davia and Carol could get him back to the bed. Getting back into the bed was a bit trickier than getting out of it, but after a few grimaces and much help from the women they managed to get him in the bed and sitting in an upright position.

"Thanks" he told them both. All three of them were surprised when there was a knock at the door and both Rick and Shane entered the room.

"What is it?" Davia quickly asked.

"It's Merle. Daryl if you want to see him it has finally been arranged. We don't have much time though. He has developed Sepsis and the doctor doesn't think he is going to make it through the night." Rick informed them.

The room was overcome by a stony silence, as no one was able to speak. "Take me too him now." Daryl insisted.

"Daryl I…"Davia said before he raised his hand and let her know that no matter what she said his mind was made up.

"Gotta see him. Can't let him leave this world alone. Ain't right, I'm all he's got left." Daryl said. Davia was trying to gain an understanding of how Daryl could forget all the horrible things that Merle had done to him. Maybe it was true about blood being thicker than water.

Carol then spoke. "Daryl do you think you could manage to go down in a wheel chair? We'll have to move you again and I'm concerned because your trip a little bit of go about wore you out."

"Don't matter. I can rest later. I gotta see him. Take me now or I will walk down there myself."

Davia quickly intervened "Carol if you can get us a wheel chair I'm sure Rick and Shane can help get Daryl out of bed." Daryl gave Davia a nod of appreciation and Carol quickly returned with a wheelchair. Shane and Rick both helped Daryl get situated. Shane looked peeved but he didn't say anything, but he did managed to flash a sweet smile at Davia. Rick caught it, but Daryl didn't thankfully.

When they made it down to Merle's room Rick and Shane chose to wait outside the door. Davia wasn't sure what to do so she looked to Daryl. "Do you want me to come in there with you or wait out here? It's your call." She told him.

He weakly reached for her hand "Need ya with me."

She nodded and she pushed him inside the room. A nurse was at Merle's bedside and acknowledged Daryl and Davia "we are doing all we can to make him comfortable. I'm sorry things didn't turn out better. When they found him his wounds were already infected and we have tried everything possible to get it under control, but unfortunately he was already too far gone." She said sadly.

Merle looked like a shell of the person he had been just over a week ago. The male bravado was completely gone and Davia couldn't believe how much he had aged in such a short period of time. He was as pale as a ghost and Davia wasn't convinced he was even alive when they arrived in the room and she felt Daryl tense when he first saw his brother.

Merle opened up his eyes and spoke "You made it. Thought I finished ya off. They wouldn't tell me a fucking thing."

Daryl didn't say much "Yeah. You came close but I'm a tough son of a bitch."

"Sorry man. I ain't got no excuse other than I was fucked up. You know they say the only one who can ole Merle is Merle himself…Reckon I did a good job this time." Merle told him.

"Don't talk like that, maybe the antibiotics will kick in a little later." Daryl said, his voice was tense and Davia could tell he was trying to keep his emotions in check.

"Naw…not this time baby brother. Look, I ain't got much time left but I wanna tell ya a couple of things before I check out."

"No Merle…don't say it." Daryl said, no longer able to hold back his tears. It broke Davia's heart to see him hurting this way. She may not of had much respect for Merle, but he was Daryl's brother, and regardless of what had happened in the past, Daryl still loved him.

"Quit being a girl Daryl and listen to me. First of all, back at the house in my closet, there's a box. You need to find it. It's a bunch of letters from Momma…I kept them from you. Wanted her all to myself I guess and it won't fair to ya. She didn't leave ya baby brother…she left him and tried to get us, but he threatened her. Hell of a thing ya know. Find them letters and then find her."

"OK, I can do that."

"Secondly, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all I did to ya. I was wrong about Davia. She is a good girl and you deserve to be happy. Kinda makes me sad I'm checking out and I never found what you seem to have found. You were always the sweet one boy, and I always thought that made you a pussy, but now I think it made you the better man."

Daryl was about to completely break down, and it was wearing him out trying to fight of sobs. Davia gently wrapped her arms around his neck and shoulders, avoiding his mid section. She whispered into his ear "You don't have to fight off the tears Daryl. It's OK to let it out."

Daryl took a deep breath and gained his composure. "Merle, I gotta know why you did this to me? You almost killed me man and I don't want to live the rest of my life not knowing why."

"Daryl I was fucked up on Meth, and I was jealous. I don't like to lose and the first time I saw you with Davia I knew I couldn't compete. I tried to convince you she wasn't worthy of you, but that was me trying to convince myself."

"Davia is the best thing that has ever happened to me Merle. She ain't left my side once since we've been here. Merle, I'm falling in love with her."

Davia couldn't believe what she just heard. Here Daryl's world was falling apart and one of the last things he was telling his dying brother was that he was in love with her? No one had ever told her that before, not once and here this beautiful man was telling big bad Merle Dixon he loved her.

Merle's breathing was getting raspy and he was pulling breaths now in between each word he spoke. "Happy for you Daryl, and it ain't the drugs talking anymore. I'm sorry for all the shit in the past, but I can't make it up. And Davia…promise me you will take care of him." Merle's words faded at the end of his sentence and his heart was slowing drastically. Davia and Daryl knew it wouldn't be long.

"I promise Merle. I will take care of him as long as I have breath in my body." She told him. Now she had tears rolling down her cheeks as well. He had been cruel to her and had almost killed the man she cared deeply for, yet she now found herself regretting that he would be gone soon.

Daryl then spoke, "Merle I ain't leaving ya." He said as he reached out and took his brother's good hand into his. Merle was too weak to speak or open his eyes, but he squeezed his younger brother's hand as a form of acknowledgment.

Daryl held onto his brother as he drew his last breath and slipped away. Daryl could no longer hold back the sobs and his body began to shake with the heartbreak of losing Merle. It was a broken relationship at best, but for Daryl, it was the only type he knew. If it wasn't for Davia he wasn't sure what he would do. In that moment Daryl realized he no longer was going to have to meet life's challenges alone. He had admitted out loud that he was falling in love with Davia, and he knew without a doubt at this moment that he was no longer falling, he had fell hard and fast and he wasn't going to let her go.

"I gotta do one thing." He told her.

"What's that Daryl?"

"I need to call our old man and tell him. He at least deserves to know before it's on the news." He told her.

Davia wasn't sure why, but she agreed with him. She found his cell and Carol had his phone number from the visitation register.

Davia helped him dial the number and handed the phone to him. He didn't even know what to say when the voice on the other line answered. What did he call him? Dad?

"Hello"

"Um yeah, Will Dixon?" Daryl said gruffly.

"This is him."

"Yeah, this is your son Daryl. I don't know how to tell you this, but Merle passed a little bit ago. Thought you deserved to know."

Silence. Daryl spoke again. "You there?"

"Yes Daryl. Thank you for calling. Will you let me know what the final arrangements are going to be?"

"Sure. Bye." Daryl said.

"Daryl…Look, I'm sorry. Maybe we can get together and talk." Will told him.

"We'll see" was Daryl's response. At this moment he didn't know up from down and his body was so exhausted he didn't even know how he was putting together coherent sentences.

Davia took the phone from him and gently kissed him on his battered face "We'll get through this Daryl, together I promise."

And she would make sure she kept her promise to Merle to look after Daryl as long as he let her.

**Was it too much? I wanted Merle to leave with a bit of dignity. He did drop quite the bombshell on Daryl about his mother. There is going to be some interesting family dynamics in the next few chapters...**

**Sorry that I killed Merle off, but there is a story twist coming and you will see why I did it...I promise. **

**Anyhow, one more week before Season 5 and I am bouncing off the walls waiting! The reviews have been amazing and the previews on AMC look mind-blowing...So can't wait.**

**Please Please Please leave a review...they are my source of encouragement. I LOVE reading them and I thank each and everyone of you who take the time to do so...the reviews are what get other people to read the stories and they are like great big hugs from all of y'all.**

**Take care my sweeties!**

**Missy XXOO**


	9. Chapter 9

**OK Guys...a little bit of time jumping here. Hope you can follow.**

Will Dixon had been a horrible man. He had performed unspeakable violent acts on both of his sons, but especially the much younger Daryl. Admittedly he was an alcoholic who blamed all of his failures in life on others, especially his wife and boys. After one particularly brutal beating, his wife Nora left fearing for her life. She tried to take the boys with her, but Will threatened to kill them if she tried. She put up a fight, but he was stronger, and meaner, and she left without her most precious assets, knowing he was serious about what he told her.

After she left, he spiraled out of control and he took all of his anger and frustrations out on the smaller son, Daryl. There were a couple of times that he was sure he had killed the boy, but Daryl proved to be a survivor. Merle was completely alienated and stayed gone from the house most of the time, making the young Daryl an easy target. He barely fed the boy, and actually treated the pet dog better.

One morning after he found an unconscious Daryl lying on the kitchen floor a strange reality had come over him. He was a monster and he could no longer live this life. So he took what few belongings he had and left, abandoning Daryl and Merle. Daryl was barely fourteen years old and was being left to fend for his self, but Will figured it was better that way. He had done too much damage and had proven over and over again that he couldn't be trusted around the boy.

He got in his truck and he drove until he found himself in Chattanooga Tennessee parked in front of a small church. He had taken a few drinks, but he wasn't drunk and he made his way inside of the church service. Will slipped in and flopped down on the back row. Ironically the racist man found himself in a full Gospel Pentecostal church with a mixed race congregation. He chuckled to himself about the irony of it all. As the choir sang and an altar call was made he was the first person up at the front of the church, and before he knew it he was on his knees begging God for forgiveness. The tears were flowing and all the remorse of what he had done to his family came pouring out of him in a true confession to God and everyone. As he prayed he felt a pair of strong arms wrap around him and sweet voice praying with him. After he had offered up his apologies to the Lord above, he opened his eyes to find himself face to face with the most beautiful ebony angel he had ever seen. After that moment Will Dixon was a different man. This was how he met his Jacqui, and his life changed forever. Alcohol never touched his lips again, but he still had not found the courage or the strength to face his sons again. God may have forgiven him, but he wasn't sure that his sons ever would.

He and Jacqui were wed six months later, and he quickly embraced her family. She had a tough as nails daughter named Michonne who was a lawyer in Atlanta and Will had grown close with her. Both Jacqui and Michonne knew Will's complete story, including the part about him abandoning his sons, but they never once experienced the monster that Will could become when he drank. As far as they were all concerned, the old Will Dixon was dead. Jacqui had tried encouraging Will to make an effort to reconnect with his sons, but he was just too afraid of hurting his boys again. He felt they were better off without him.

That was until the previous week when Merle's escape from the Fannin county jail made the Regional news. After he found out that Daryl was fighting for his life, Will could no longer avoid checking on his sons, so he and Jacqui made the trip to Blue Ridge. He wasn't sure what he would find, or if he would be allowed to visit, but he had to try.

When he and Jacqui arrived at the hospital they signed the visitor's register and made their way to Daryl's room. He was surprised to find a pretty young woman keeping vigil at his son's bedside. Daryl was asleep, but Will could see what a strapping man he had grown into. The evidence of Merle's beating was clearly displayed on Daryl's bruised body, but Will noted how much Daryl resembled a younger version of him self.

Will made the decision not to divulge who he was to the young woman with his son, and opted for him and Jacqui too simply pray for Daryl and leave. There wasn't any reason to upset Daryl or have an awkward conversation while his youngest boy was fighting for his life. All of the past transgressions that Will had inflicted upon Daryl came rushing back to him, and he fought to keep his emotions in check, but he prayed with all of his might that God would let Daryl survive, heal, and find peace. It had seemed that even though Will had removed him self from Daryl's life to protect his younger son from further pain, that Merle had picked up the torch and was now the one inflicting the pain on Daryl. It saddened Will to realize that the people Daryl should have been able to trust the most in his life were the ones that had hurt him the most. If only he hadn't scared Nora away…maybe Daryl would have been able to know the mother that had loved him so dearly that she once offered to trade her own life to prevent Will from abusing her littlest boy.

After they left the hospital, Will continued to pray for his son's, both of them. He prayed that Merle would change his ways and that Daryl would find happiness. He once again prayed for forgiveness for his past harm that he put his son's through, and he prayed that by some miracle, maybe Nora could re-connect with her sons. He robbed the boys of that relationship, and now regretted what he had done. He would call her himself if he knew how to find her, but he didn't even know if she was still alive. It had been over thirty years since he had heard or seen her.

Surprisingly, Daryl had called a few days later and delivered the earth shattering news that Merle had passed away. The information gutted Will especially knowing that Merle died with his life being in total chaos. The conversation was awkward with Daryl, but he was happy that his youngest son made an attempt to contact him. There was a second call from Daryl's female friend letting Will know when Merle's memorial service would be, and now Will and Jacqui found themselves making plans to travel Blue Ridge to attend the service. Will was holding onto the hope that him and Daryl could talk, and maybe he could offer Daryl an apology and some sense of peace.

…

Daryl was devastated by the death of Merle. He tried hard to keep his heart break in check, but when Carol came in and took his vitals, his blood pressure was through the roof. They were so concerned about his mental state that Dr. S opted to sedate Daryl so that he could rest. Davia was overtly concerned about Daryl and him focusing on healing from his injuries to the point that she was the one that suggested that the Doctor might want to sedate him.

Daryl slept the most part of the day after Merle's passing. Davia was supposed to perform that night at Dale's place, but opted to skip the performance. Right now Daryl needed her more than she needed her paycheck and she didn't want to let him down.

When he awoke later in the day he and Davia discussed having a memorial service for Merle. "Look, he was an asshole, but he was my brother and he should have at least something to honor the good things he did in his life. There weren't many, but there were some. I don't want him being remembered as the escapee who tried to kill his brother." Daryl insisted.

"OK sweetie, I understand. I will help you make the arrangements and if you would like I can sing at his memorial." She told him.

"I'd like that Davia. I know you will do him justice." Daryl answered.

The doctor came in and said that they were looking to release Daryl on Saturday (It was now Thursday) as long as he continued to show improvement and did as he was told. He agreed, as he was eager to get out of the hospital and back home…well at least home to Davia's. Thinking about the house frustrated him knowing he wasn't going to be able to do much as far as working on it went, for at least a month.

Beth and Zach stopped by and Beth brought Davia a dinner that she had prepared as well as yet another change of clothes. Beth had even taken Davia's dirty clothes and washed them and dropped them off at her apartment.

After giving Davia her things, Beth went over and gave Daryl a gentle hug and a sweet kiss on the cheek "I'm so sorry Daryl. I know how hard it is to lose someone close. I lost my momma last year and I still miss her terribly. Zach and I are here for you and Davia and if you need anything, just ask."

He thanked her and gave her tiny hand a squeeze "Thanks…don't know how to thank you and Zach for looking after Davia." He said gruffly.

"I do, when you get better we need to go out on a double date somewhere. Maybe we could all go camping or something. I know Zach would like to go to the woods and get away from Blue Ridge for a weekend." She told him.

Zach piped in "Hell yeah. I'd love to bag a deer and eat some good ole deer steaks."

Beth scrunched up her nose "Your gonna kill a sweet little deer?"

Daryl laughed, he was curious to see how Zach was going to respond to her "Hey, trust me, after I kill it and cook it you will be begging me to kill another."

"Hmph…. Doubt it." Beth said.

By now both Daryl and Davia were laughing at the younger couple. If felt good to actually have a bit of fun for once. It had been a grueling week and Davia was glad to see that Daryl hadn't drawn completely inward.

Zach and Beth stayed until almost nine that night and Daryl had enjoyed talking with Zach. It appeared the two of them had a lot in common and Zach even offered to help Daryl with the house. Zach had grown up working for his father's construction business and was quite skilled when it came to home construction. He explained to Daryl that even though Daryl himself wouldn't be able to do anything physically for at least a month, that he would be more than willing to take over some of the projects Daryl had planned on doing himself. It was truly a kind gesture and Daryl, though apprehensively, accepted the offer.

After they left Daryl turned to Davia "I really like them two."

"I do too Daryl. Beth has always been a sweetheart, and her family was one of the few in this town that treated me kindly. She can sing really well too. I'm actually surprised she hasn't performed at Dale's before." Davia informed Daryl.

"Why don't you ask her too, half them girls up there can't carry a tune in a bucket. The only time Dale sells out the place is when you sing." He told her. Davia's voice was not like any he had heard live before, and the power and emotion she emitted touched your soul when she sang.

"You know, that's a good idea. Heck, I might even ask her to sing with me one night." She replied.

"I'd love to hear that. Bet it will sound good. Just hope you wait and do it when I'm back on my feet again." He told her.

"Of course. Um…Daryl."

"Yeah babe" He responded without thinking.

"Yesterday…Merle mentioned something about your mother, but you haven't said anything about it yet. Do you think what he said was true?"

"Probably. Sounds like something he would do. I have tried really hard not to think about it, but I guess I need to. I will go back to the house and clean out his stuff and see what it there." Daryl told her.

"I can do that while you are recovering." She offered.

"Naw, we will do it together if ya want. I don't really know how to feel. I hardly even remember what she looked like. My old man told me she abandoned us and didn't want us anymore. I had been told so many times that I was a piece of shit I believed that was the reason why she left. If she really was trying to get us, then that changes how I feel about her. I reckon I will try to find her like Merle wanted me too, but I don't know what will happen after that."

"And your Dad?" She asked.

"We'll see. He mentioned he wanted to talk and asked about me letting him know about Merle's service." Daryl told her.

"Well after I make the arrangements tomorrow I will call him myself. That way you can decide if you want to talk to him, maybe after the service."

Daryl let out a sigh. Losing Merle was hard, but he wasn't sure what to feel regarding his father. Had his dad truly changed? The monster that he lived with for fourteen years certainly would have never taken the time to drive from Chattanooga just to pray for him. And Pray? Will Dixon was the biggest 'sinner' Daryl had ever known. He did remember that Hershel was a lot like Will at one point, and look how he had changed. However, if Daryl was ever going to be able to forgive his father, he was going to have to re-live all the pain and abuse in his past. There was a lot of deep-rooted mental pain that Daryl had buried years ago, but those events of his child hood had never completely left him. He carried the scars with him everyday as reminders.

…

The next morning Daryl woke before Davia and he observed her sleeping. She looked tired and he was certain that the interruption to her routine was taking a toll on her physically. He had never had anyone so loyal to him and he appreciated all she had done, but he was concerned for her well being. Davia obviously had some OCD tendencies, and he felt that her being away from her comfort zone had to have an effect on her mentally. He decided he would have a talk with her when she woke up this morning. The last thing he wanted was for her to hold some type of resentment towards him because she had been absent from her comfort zone for such a long period of time.

As she began to stir he smiled. She was beautiful, and watching her stretch and become alert to her surroundings reminded him of a cat after it woke up from a nap. "Morning Daryl" she said sweetly.

"Morning darling. How did ya sleep?" He asked.

"As good as can be expected. I've got a lot to do today. I need to make Merle's arrangements and then I have to perform tonight at Dale's. That means I won't be back here until late. I will take a cab to the hospital since it is a little far to walk that late at night." She told him.

"Wanted to talk to you about that. I want you to go home and sleep in our…your bed tonight. You need the rest. I should be getting out of here tomorrow and I figure you could use the rest. Bet it will feel good to be back in your own surroundings." He told her.

"No Daryl, I don't want to leave you alone. Really, I'm OK with coming back here." She said, almost pleading.

"Look Davia, don't get me wrong, you still are beautiful, but you look worn out. We both know that chair ain't comfortable and I get to sleep in this bed while you sleep all bent up in a recliner. Please do this for me. I'm calling Beth today and going to ask her to pick you up so you don't have to walk home alone in the dark. Please do this for me darling." He said.

"But…"

"Please Davia…for me?" He replied.

She was defeated. He was practically begging her. "You're not mad or tired of me are you Daryl?" She asked seriously.

"Hell no, I just want what is best for you, and you need some good rest. I'm checking out tomorrow and you will probably be so sick of me in a week you are gonna wish I was back here." He told her.

"Never. I'm gonna take good care of you while you recuperate Daryl. I promise that to you here and now. This is somewhat my fault, if Merle hadn't been so jealous none of this would have happened." She told him.

"That's bullshit Davia. Merle wasn't in his right mind, and it wouldn't have mattered if it was you or someone else, he wanted control over me, and he would have reacted the same way if I had hooked up with Glenn or Zach. Merle didn't like to share, and now that he's gone I realize how much of my life he controlled. I think I missed out on a lot, obviously having a relationship with my mother was one of those things. I've got a lot of time to make up for, and now I have you with me to make it that much better." He said optimistically.

"I still can't believe you want me around…no one ever has before." She confessed. It was true. There was still a part of Davia that was waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under her. She struggled to accept the fact that Daryl truly cared for her, he acted like he did, and he said he did, even admitting it to his brother before he passed, but Davia had always had those close to her ripped away. Was Daryl insisting she not stay with him tonight his way of letting her down easy?

"Look, you know if I wasn't laid up here that I would be there with you tonight, front and center. So I tell you what, how bout I talk to Zach and Beth and have them stream your performance to me on my phone? Then when you get home tonight you call me and sing me something sweet so I can sleep? I promise you Davia, I don't want you apart from me, but I'm worried about you collapsing from exhaustion. You've done more for me this week than anyone I know, and it means the world to me." He told her, easing some of her fears.

"Are you sure?" She asked one final time.

"Never been more sure of anything before Davia. You heard what I told Merle…it's true. Ain't never felt this way about anyone. I know we ain't been together for very long, but when you know you know. I was always the first one to doubt people could feel this way, but I finally know what it is like to have your heart feel alive…and you are what makes it feel that way. Look, I almost died and all I could think about was not being able to see you again, and that kept me holding on…because I don't want to be without you. Davia I'm thirty-six years old and I finally know what…well you know…what 'it' feels like."

Davia didn't know how to react. Daryl's admission was so heart felt that she didn't think anything she could say at the moment could match what he just told her. Davia felt the same way as he did, but she sucked at verbalizing her emotions. The night they sat on her balcony and she told him about her past had been the most she had ever shared with anyone else, and it had been difficult for her, but he accepted her, flaws and all. Without thinking Davia went to Daryl and placed a kiss on Daryl's lips. She gently caressed his bruised face "Daryl, I don't know what I'm doing, I've told you that…but I feel the same about you. I don't ever want another moment of my life to go by without you in it. You give me joy."

As gently as he could, be pulled her back into a second kiss, this one more passionate than the first, but just as sweet. "This between us, it's for real. Don't ever doubt it." He said as he laid his head back on the pillow, letting out a breathy sigh.

Davia took a quick shower and then headed across the street to the Doctor. She had mentioned earlier that she was going to visit the gynecologist to have herself put on birth control. The appointment went well and the doctor had prescribed Davia birth control pills, reminding her that she needed to take them for a full month before they would be effective. One month, the timing actually was convenient since Daryl wouldn't be in any condition for lovemaking for at least that amount of time. Davia was pleased with her decision to give herself to Daryl completely, though she was nervous. She knew Daryl had a lot more experience than she did, in fact she would say she had no experience at all. Like Daryl had told her, the one time in High School when she was drugged didn't count as experience. At least now she had a month to figure out what the hell to do, and she now felt she had someone she could talk to about it…Beth. Beth was twenty-two years old and had been with Zach for a while. Davia wasn't sure what the physical aspect of their relationship was, but she suspected that Beth had much more experience than she did.

Davia returned to Daryl's hospital room to find him asleep. Lord knows he needed the rest. Carol dropped in to check on Daryl to take his vitals. "Guess you're gonna be glad to get him home." She said to Davia.

"I am sure he will be more comfortable. I just want to take the best care of him possible." Davia told her.

"We will be sure to get you a list of instructions for you to follow. Abdominal wounds can be tricky, but if he follows the proper protocol he will be fine. If you would like, I could drop by and check on him before my shifts next week." She offered.

"Really, you would do that?" Davia asked, puzzled as to why Carol would take time out of her busy schedule to check on Daryl in particular.

"It wouldn't be a bother. I guess my heart goes out to Daryl for what he has had to endure. I've known Daryl for a long time. We went to school together up until the time he dropped out. I always felt bad for his situation, but he was always nice to me and I appreciated that. He wasn't nice to a lot of people, sort of a loner type, and I can't blame him. He didn't want other people's pity, and because of that he kept to himself. Anyhow…I'm willing if that is OK with you." She said.

"Yeah, sounds good I will give you my address when we check out tomorrow." Davia said, grateful for Carol's offer. Whatever it took to get Daryl healthy again, Davia would accept. Davia had been pretty much a recluse for so long that now having people in her life felt refreshing.

…

Beth and Zach showed up around four in the afternoon to take Davia home so she could get ready to perform. They agreed to stay through the show so that Davia could be delivered home safely. Zach showed Daryl how to stream the performance of Davia's set on Facetime and Davia told Daryl she would be performing at Nine that night.

They had a nice long drawn out kiss and Davia assured him she would be by in the morning to help him make it home.

Home…their home.

…

The first stop was the funeral home where they had Merle's body. Davia made all the necessary plans including picking out a casket and explaining what type of service that would be most appropriate. She didn't know if Daryl had the funds to pay for the funeral, so she flipped out her credit card and paid for everything herself. One advantage to being a recluse is you don't spend that much money and Davia had a large sum saved up. More than enough to cover Merle's final expenses until Daryl was able to pay her back. She had decided a long time ago that she would save every penny she could, because there were no promises that her voice would hold up forever, and if that happened she would need cash to hold her over until she could find another career. She also had her eye on a cute BMW that she wanted if she ever got her driver's license. However, since she met Daryl she was re-thinking the BMW idea, and maybe something a little more fun that they could take up to the mountains one weekend. Of course, she had to learn how to drive first.

On the way to her house Davia chatted with Beth about her possibly performing at Dale's on a regular basis.

"Do you really think he would let me do that? I've never been paid for performing before and I'm not sure I'm good enough Davia. I can't compare to your talent." She said.

"Nonsense Beth, you are a fantastic talent and Dale would love for you to perform. Of course, you would need to audition before he agrees, but once he hears you sing I think it would be a no brainer for him." Davia assure her.

"I would be interested, what would you think Zach?" Beth asked.

"I think between you and Davia you two would sell the place out each night. Bethy you have more than enough talent to keep everyone happy. I say go for it." He told her patting her on the knee.

"OK…If you think so Davia." Beth told her.

Zach and Beth dropped off Davia to let her get ready for her show and agreed to be back around eight. Fortunately the Greene Farm was only a couple of miles away, and Davia's place was not out of the way for them. They had even agreed to take her in the morning and help her get Daryl back to the apartment. Davia was a bit concerned since she had a second floor apartment and Daryl was going to have to climb the stairs. Zach assured her that he would help anyway possible. These two were almost too good to be true.

…

Davia spent the remaining couple of hours practicing her set and getting dressed. Tonight she would have a band backing her up, which meant she could perform some edgier songs than she could when she was performing solo. She had picked out a Florence and the Machine tune to perform, along with a few Christine Aguilera songs, a Led Zepplin song, and one final song for Daryl. She was going to do that one solo. She hoped that her music would cheer him up.

When Beth and Zach arrived to pick her up Zach gave her a hug. "Ms. Davia you look hot."

"Um Thanks Zach. You don't think it's too much?" She asked.

Beth responded "Definitely not…if anything looking like you do will give Daryl incentive to heal up quickly." Beth joked.

Davia had a legendary shoe collection. She had on black lace up boots that had a sky-high heel on them, with jet-black jeans tucked into her boots. She also had on a fitted corset (which took her fifteen minutes to lace up and get on her curves) with a black leather jacket. The outfit was totally outside of what Davia would normally wear, she had purchased it on a whim, but after what Daryl told her earlier, she suddenly felt like she wanted to be sexy for once, and hoped that Daryl would like what he saw. She had her hair somewhat teased and her make-up was dark and vampy. Davia looked like a rock star tonight and hoped people would accept the look, especially since it was on the other end of the spectrum of her normally conservative look.

When they arrived at the bar, Davia was overwhelmed with all the attention she received. People she didn't even know were coming up to her and asking about Daryl and his recovery. She fielded questions such as "did his brother really chop off his own leg?" and "I heard he held a police officer hostage" it was apparent that what happened had been stretched in the story telling over the week. Dale had to usher Davia backstage just so she could catch her breath.

"Davia honey, you look beautiful tonight. Are you up to this?" He asked sincerely.

"Definitely Dale. Thanks for hiring the band." She said to him.

"No, thank you Davia. You are good for business. Did you notice how packed the place was?"

She nodded. "Um Dale, are you looking for any more singers? I think I might have someone in mind who could pack in the crowd." She told him.

"Really, and who would that be?" Dale asked, intrigued by her information.

"Beth Greene. She's actually here with me tonight. I really think you should let her audition." Davia said.

"Is she even over twenty-one Davia? That's Hershel Greene's youngest daughter isn't it?"

"It is Dale. She is really talented and I would be willing to let her split a set with me if you have concerns. Then there isn't a risk on your part. I truly believe in her abilities." Davia said.

"I tell you what, have her come in Monday at noon and I will let her audition. If she is as good as you say she is, I will put her on Thursday and Saturday. We'll see what kind of crowd she draws and if then we can go from there." Dale told her.

"Thanks Dale…I appreciate this. You won't be sorry." She said giving him a hug.

"Now go out there and knock 'em over kiddo." He told her.

Before she started her set Zach met her backstage and the two of them hooked up with Daryl via Facetime on his phone. "You ready sweetheart?" Daryl asked her.

She could see how tired he was. "I am Daryl. You look so tired, did you get enough rest this afternoon?"

"Yeah, Carol has been in here chatting. She has been keeping me company while you are away. It's actually been nice to catch up with her. It's been years since we have talked." He told her.

"Really, she's been with you while I'm gone. That's good." She said. For some reason Carol taking her place bothered her, but she knew she was just being paranoid.

"Well I've got to go Daryl…I hope this works so you can see my performance." She told him.

"It will, I wouldn't miss a thing." He assured her.

She started out her set with a powerful and haunting rendition of Florence and the Machine's "What the Water Gave me" followed up by another one of the groups songs "No Light No Light." Davia's vocals were perfect for the dark and forceful music. She then followed it up with Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful" and a duet with one of the male members of the band to the song "Say Something". She performed a few more tunes such as Led Zeppelin's "Thank you" before the band left the stage and she sat down at the piano.

"Daryl…this is for you." She said simply. The crowd erupted into applause as most of them knew what Daryl had been through and knew he was still recovering from his injuries. Daryl Dixon had always lived in his brother's shadow, but the events of the past week had firmly separated Daryl from Merle and Daryl wasn't ever going to be hidden by his brother's antics again.

_**There's a light**_

_**A certain kind of light**_

_**That never shone on me**_

_**I want my life to be lived with you**_

_**Lived with you**_

_**There's a way everybody say**_

_**To do each and every little thing**_

_**But what does it bring**_

_**If I ain't got you, ain't got?**_

_**You don't know what it's like, baby**_

_**You don't know what it's like**_

_**To love somebody**_

_**To love somebody**_

_**The way I love you**_

_**In my brain**_

_**I see your face again**_

_**I know my frame of mind**_

_**You ain't got to be so blind**_

_**And I'm blind, so very blind**_

_**I'm a woman, can't you see**_

_**What I am**_

_**I live and I breathe for you**_

_**But what good does it do**_

_**If I ain't got you, ain't got?**_

_**You don't know what it's like, baby**_

_**You don't know what it's like**_

_**To love somebody**_

_**To love somebody**_

_**The way I love you**_

_**You don't know what it's like, baby**_

_**You don't know what it's like**_

_**To love somebody**_

_**To love somebody**_

_**The way I love you**_

_**You don't know what it's like, baby**_

_**You don't know what it's like (you don't know what it's like)**_

_**To love somebody**_

It was the Bee Gee's hit from the sixties, "To Love Somebody". The lyrics were fitting and Davia felt every bit of each lyric for Daryl. She hoped he picked up on what she was trying to say in song.

…

Daryl leaned back in his hospital bed and was thankful Zach had made it so he could watch and hear Davia sing. He had been so happy to hear from her after their short separation that he hadn't even taken the time to see how she was dressed. Holy Shit did she look stunning. Davia was normally very conservative in how she presented herself, and Daryl appreciated that. He knew she had a lot of insecurities about her appearance, but this Davia…she looked like a Vixen who was ready to take charge.

Daryl loved all of Davia's imperfections. No, she wasn't a size two, she had curves and meat on her bones, but she was still a very pretty girl. He knew being a performer meant she had to endure a lot of criticism because society had certain standards they were used to for women entertainers, But Damnit, Davia had talent and if people couldn't get past that, then fuck em all. He was in love with her, every bit of her including her imperfections. Those imperfections were one of things that appealed to him the most. He would describe her as perfectly imperfect. He knew he wasn't an easy person to be around, and his past had already come back and reared it's ugly head in the short time they had been together, but Davia hadn't ran from him like a lot of women would of. He truly believed that she was his soul mate, and he had waited a long time to find someone like her. To be honest Daryl didn't think he was ever going to meet someone he could fall in love with, but Davia proved him wrong, and he was thankful.

Daryl watched her performance intently. He was less than thrilled when she sang a duet with a ruggedly handsome guy that was part of the band that Dale hired, but that was only because he wanted Davia all to himself. By no means did Davia look even remotely interested in him.

As she moved through her set he knew it was winding down when she took to her piano. She spoke into the microphone and addressed him directly before she began to perform and old song his mother used to sing to him when he was a very small child. It was one of the very few memories he had of his mom Nora. "To Love Somebody" had more meaning to him than she even knew.

He held onto every word like it was a breath of life, and took the meaning to heart. By the time she was finished Daryl was thankful he was alone and that the phone on the other end was pointed towards Davia, and not being watched by Zach. He had genuine tears in his eyes as the events of the week had finally crashed down on him. He had been almost killed by his brother, lost his brother, found his father and wasn't sure what to do, and had now been told that his mother was still out there, and had been waiting to hear from him for well over thirty years. It was enough to make the strongest man break, but he had one saving grace, and that was Davia. She was his light in the darkness.

…

When Davia came off stage the crowd was begging for an encore, a rarity, and Dale encouraged her to perform one more song. She agreed and went back and played another old song "Both Sides Now" by Joni Mitchell. It was an upbeat song about finding Love, and she felt so good about being with Daryl that she wanted to shout it from the rooftops.

_**Rows and flows of angel hair**_

_**And ice cream castles in the air and feather canyons everywhere**_

_**I've looked at clouds that way**_

_**But now they only block the sun, they rain and they snow on everyone**_

_**So many things I would have done but clouds got in my way**_

_**I've looked at clouds from both sides now**_

_**From up and down and still somehow it's cloud illusions that I recall**_

_**I really don't know clouds at all**_

_**Moons and Junes and ferris wheels**_

_**The dizzy dancing way you feel as every fairy tale comes real**_

_**I've looked at love that way once upon a time**_

But now it's just another show, you leave 'em laughing when you go

_**And if you care don't let them know, know, don't give yourself away**_

_**I've looked at love from both sides now**_

_**From give and take and still somehow it's love's illusions that I recall**_

_**I really don't know what love's about at all**_

_**Tears and fears and feelin' proud**_

_**To say to someone I love you right out loud**_

_**Dreams and schemes and circus crowds**_

_**I've looked at life that way, sometimes I still do**_

_**Now old friends are acting strange**_

_**They shake their heads and they tell me that I have changed, yes I have**_

_**Something's lost but something's gained in livin' every day**_

_**I've looked at love from both sides now**_

_**From up and down and give and take**_

_**From win and lose and still somehow it's love's illusions that I recall**_

_**I really don't know, I really don't know**_

She finally finished her set and Zach met her backstage with his phone still connected to Daryl.

"Yeah Daryl, did every thing come through OK," He asked as he was walking back to Davia.

"Real Good Zach, thanks. Can I talk to my girl now?" He asked.

"Sure thing buddy." He told the older man as he handed the phone to Davia.

"Hey Daryl" She said, she noticed his eyes looked a little red, almost like he had been crying.

"Hey darling, thanks for that. Makes me feel like I could get up and run a marathon. You make me feel good Davia."

"You make me feel the same way Daryl. I can't wait to get you home tomorrow. I will be up there first thing in the morning." She told him.

"Call me one more time tonight when you get home, just so I know you're safe" He told her.

"Honey it's late, are you sure?" She asked.

"Positive" he told her.

…

On her way out a very drunk Shane Walsh cornered her. He had apparently decided to come watch her perform.

"Hey Davia" he slurred.

"Shane…Hi" She said, a bit guarded. She wasn't his biggest fan. He was handsome and had a lot of traits that women would find desirable, but she saw him as a guy looking for another notch on his bedpost. That and the fact that he could barely hide his disdain for Daryl.

"How bout I take you home tonight? You need a real man to take you out, not some stupid white trash Dixon." He said. His words angered her, but she didn't want to make a scene.

"Shane, please don't say that about Daryl. You shouldn't judge someone you don't know. I care for him deeply and it upsets me to hear people say things like that about him."

"Awe come on Davia…I'm just messing. Come on, let me take you home?" He asked in a slightly friendlier term.

"Sorry Shane, I have a ride, but thanks for offering." She said as she turned to quickly find Beth and Zach. The situation was quickly becoming uncomfortable for her and she didn't want to be around him any longer.

She didn't hear him mumble "Stupid bitch doesn't know what a real man would be like. I ain't giving up."

…

When Davia got home she called Daryl and sang him a sweet lullaby until he fell asleep. She realized she needed to finally purchase a cell phone. They could have video chatted if she had one. Her landline at the house wouldn't permit it and Zach proved that having a phone was a nice perk.

He was exhausted, and she knew it. It was going to take a while for him to get his strength back, and she also knew that was going to be the hardest part of his recovery. Daryl was not someone who took to lying around kindly. She decided she was going to have to figure out a way to get him out of the apartment without allowing him to over exert his self. It looked like she was going to need to be creative.

…

The next morning Beth and Zach showed up early to take her to the hospital to bring Daryl home. They were all in the room when Dr. S came in and wanted to examine Daryl one final time. Zach and Beth quickly excused themselves and Davia looked to Daryl to see if she should leave as well. He shook his head "no" and she stayed as the examination began.

The Doc had Daryl lean forward so he could slip his hospital gown down off of his upper torso and place it across Daryl's lap. Daryl was now completely exposed from the waist up and Davia knew this was never a comfortable position for him to be in, but Daryl didn't give away any nervousness.

Slowly, the bandages were unwrapped and Davia had to cover her mouth when she saw the scars that Merle had left behind. There was one very long jagged wound that started at Daryl's right hip, moved across his lower stomach towards his left side, then took a sharp upward turn towards his chest. Between the knife wound and the surgical scars, Daryl would carry the memories of this event for the rest of his life. There were staples holding the wound together across the lower portion of his body and his skin was puckered around each of the metal sutures. The good news was that there was minimal redness and Dr. S looked pleased when he examined the wound.

"These are healing well. I want you to keep an eye out for any increased redness, drainage, or extreme pain. I am sending you home with another round of antibiotics and a topical anesthetic to apply once a day. I am going to remove the bandages but I am going to ask that you get help with getting up and down and with bathing. My suggestion is a shallow bath and then sponge around the wound areas. I don't want them submerged for another two weeks. Davia do you think you can handle helping him out?" He asked.

Davia had turned three shades of red at the mentioning of helping Daryl bathe. Daryl almost looked amused. So much so he answered for her "I'm sure we can figure it out."

Davia had brought Daryl a change of clothes and he slipped on the white T-shirt, some plaid boxers, and track pants she had brought for him because they would be easy to slip on. Not his usual attire, but it was clean, comfortable, and the first real clothes he had worn in a week. She put his socks on him and handed him a pair of slippers. "You didn't have any tennis shoes, so I thought these would be easier to put on instead of your boots, I picked them up downstairs."

"Thanks Davia" he said pulling her gently to him so he could kiss her.

Carol came in with all of the papers for them to sign for Daryl's release, and then assured them she would stop by on Monday to check in on him. The both nodded in appreciation and Carol gave Daryl a hug before they very slowly left the room.

When they got back to Davia's apartment Zach and Davia helped get Daryl up the stairs while Beth carried what few belongings he had brought back with him. Daryl asked if he could convalesce on the couch, since he had been tired of sitting in a bed all week. Davia set the couch up for him and handed him the remote for the TV.

She had made a meal in the crockpot before they left and served everyone a hearty lunch once Daryl was settled in. It was the first real food Daryl had eaten in a week, and he looked like he was in heaven as the tasty chicken casserole hit his lips.

"Davia baby, you can cook." He told her while Beth and Zach nodded in agreement.

Finally, Davia was able to sit with Daryl and feel his body against hers, and just the slightest touch sent tingles throughout her extremities. Daryl was home, and it felt right. They seemed to have found each other, and finally some friends that they seemed to truly enjoy. Even with Merle's funeral tomorrow looming over them, Daryl looked more content than he ever had to her, and she was slowly beginning to accept that she might finally be happy one day.

Love is an amazing thing.

**OK...the S5 premier was brilliant, and after watching it I know my story can't even remotely compare. The last five minutes had me in tears...**

**I have a lot planned in the next chapter, including Merle's memorial (tissues please) and Daryl will meet with his father. It's going to be emotional. I've also got a big surprise from Merle that will be popping up in the next chapter as well. So hold on and enjoy the ride.**

**I am so happy that everyone seems to be enjoying this story. I have had some really incredible reviews and I am begging you to leave them for me, and any suggestions you might have. Davia is probably around a size 14/16...not huge, but by no means thin. I am going to delve into her weight issues sometime soon...and trust me, I know what it's like to struggle with your weight. If you wanna hear my story, feel free to ask, but I won't share it here because it is too long of a story.**

**Take care y'all and leave me some lovely messages.**

**Ciao sweeties!**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	10. Chapter 10

**For your Sunday Pre-TWD reading pleasure...**

Beth and Zach left just after they ate lunch and finally Daryl and Davia had some privacy. It was the first time they had been completely alone since the attack. Daryl was lightly dozing on the couch with Davia sitting behind him gently running her hands through his hair.

"Mmmm that feels good Davia." He told her not opening his eyes.

"I have missed having you close" she told him.

"I need a bath bad though darling" he told her, almost grinning.

Davia didn't respond immediately. "Daryl, I've never seen a man…Naked before." She told him.

He chuckled lightly. "Does it scare or bother you? If so we can work around it." He told her.

Davia took a breath "No, I guess I need to grow up and be an adult. Heck, If we are ever going to have sex then I need to get over my fear." She said, blushing as she commented.

"Ok then, let's do this," he said, maybe a little too enthusiastically. Normally Daryl would have been the first person to cringe at someone seeing him fully naked, but Davia was different. She knew about his scars, and for the most part he had told her about his struggles throughout his thirty-six years. She was the first person he had EVER opened up too. There was also the fact that he wanted to have sex with her, badly. He was going to enjoy this, but he would try "hard" not to scare her away as she helped him bathe.

After Davia helped Daryl get up off the couch they headed slowly into the bathroom. The burning and pulling of the stitches made Daryl wince in pain, but he soldiered through. If he was going to get back to normal he was going to have to make an effort to start getting around on his own.

Davia sighed and finally turned on the faucet to begin to fill the tub. She helped Daryl get undressed but stopped before he pulled of his boxer shorts. "Here, wrap this around your waist so you can have some modesty." She said.

Daryl did as she asked and placed the towel around his waist as he slipped off his boxer shorts underneath. "You know this towel is coming off as soon as I hit the water." He told her.

"Yeah, I know…I'm mentally preparing myself for that. I know, I'm a prude." She said, giggling nervously.

"Hey, It's OK Davia, take a deep breath, it's just me and you. Just relax and we can get through this." He told her, trying to calm her apprehension.

Davia helped Daryl get into the tub. She noticed his face looked pained as he stepped over the edge and began to slowly slide down into the shallow water. Daryl finally pulled off the towel, quickly as if ripping off a bandage and Boom! He was now sitting in the water fully exposed. Out of habit Davia closed her eyes.

"Look Davia, I know all these wounds aren't pretty to look at, but you can at least open up your eyes. Ain't nothing gonna bite you sweetheart." He said in an attempt to create some humor and get her a little more comfortable with the situation.

"OK" she said as her lids slowly opened and she took in Daryl's naked body in front of her. Her hands shook, but she quickly got her breathing under control. He gently took her hands and brought them to his lips, kissing them gently.

"Hold on one second." She said as she left the bathroom. Daryl thought maybe she was freaking out, but she returned wearing a pair of gray shorts and a white T-shirt.

"Can you lean forward?" She asked. He nodded and to his surprise she got in the tub (fully clothed) and dropped down behind him. She pulled his bare back up against her and then turned on the water and began to fill a pitcher with water.

"Just lay your head back Daryl and I will wash your hair." She told him.

He did as she told him and he could feel the warm water being poured over his head wetting his hair. It was he this time that closed his eyes and relished in the feeling of her hands working the lather of the shampoo through his hair, and she began to massage his scalp as she washed him.

"Mmmm" He said out loud.

"Does that feel good Daryl? I want it to feel good for you, Lord knows you deserve it" She told him, sounding much more relaxed. The warm water cascading off his shoulders just added to his relaxation. Even though Davia was fully clothed, her clothes were soaked to her body and he could feel her hardened nipples against his back. If he didn't hurt so damn much he probably would have had an erection by now, and with him being completely naked in front of her there wouldn't have been any hiding it.

"Feels good Davia. You feel good too." He told her still not opening his eyes as her fingertips were working magic on his scalp.

For Davia, this was completely out of her comfort zone, but it felt good to make Daryl feel somewhat better. She gently rinsed the shampoo from Daryl's hair and picked up a sponge and gently began to wash his back for him. He let out another soft moan and she smiled knowing she was responsible for that slight pleasure he was experiencing.

"Ok Daryl, I'm going to change positions and kneel in front of you so I can wash around your incision." She said, knowing that it meant she would also be just a few inches away from his manhood. Now she had a dilemma…should she also wash "that"?

Daryl had to fight hard to hold back a smirk. The idea of a soaking wet Davia kneeling in front of him sent his mind racing into many different scenarios, most of which secretly ended with her beneath him naked. What was wrong with him? He could barely walk without agonizing pain, yet he still was having strong sexual urges. Yeah, he had it bad for Davia and he wouldn't even attempt to deny it.

Now Davia was gently washing Daryl's chest, almost sensually running the wet sponge across his broad shoulders, collar bone, and his nipples. Though she noticed his old scars that he had shown her a few weeks earlier, she didn't feel the need to dwell on them. They were part of what made Daryl who he was and she admired him for being able to prevail over such a traumatic childhood.

"Um Daryl…I'm going to hand you the sponge and let you wash your…you know…" She said turning about five shades of red.

Daryl nodded and Davia stood up in the tub, water pouring off of her body. She allowed Daryl some privacy as he finished washing his nether regions and quickly went to grab him a clean towel. "I will be right back, I'm going to get you some more clean clothes." She told him.

She found a pair of his pajama bottoms and a T-shirt and boxers for him to put on. She brought them into the bathroom and laid them up on the counter.

"OK Daryl, are you ready to attempt to get out of the tub?" She asked.

"Yeah…let's do this," he said enthusiastically.

Davia stepped into the tub so she was standing in front of Daryl. He placed his hands on either side of the tub and she kneeled down so she had her hands were up under his arms. On the count of three he began to slowly push himself up and she lifted to take the stress off his abdomen. The next thing she knew he was standing fully naked pressed up against her wet body and she could feel his manly blessing pressed up against her navel. She looked into his eyes to see if he was embarrassed, but instead she saw a man full of want and desire…and frustration knowing there wasn't anything he could physically do about it. Without thinking Davia stepped up on her toes and placed her lips to his. Quickly the chaste kiss became enraptured in want and lust and she parted her lips to allow his tongue to taste her. The chemistry between the two was undeniable and she felt like every part of her body was on fire. Her stomach was fluttering and she swore she felt tingling in her most intimate of parts. Instead of being nervous and afraid of Daryl's naked form, she was regretting that he wasn't able to pursue her in a more physical manner. Yeah, she wanted him bad.

They broke apart without a word and she carefully dried him with the towel and then helped him slip into his clothes. She then helped him get settled back onto the couch and turned the TV on for him. "I'm going to need to leave about eight tonight to go to Dale's to perform tonight." She reminded him.

"Damnit. I forgot. I will drive you." He told her.

"That isn't going to happen Daryl, and you know it. I will call a cab." She said. She hadn't even made her way to the phone when Daryl's cell phone rang.

"Hello" he said as he answered the phone.

It was Zach and he told Daryl that Beth had mentioned that Davia was performing again that night and she would most likely need a ride to Dale's. He told her that Beth wanted to go with Davia and hang out while he offered to come hang out with Daryl. Daryl took an internal sigh of relief knowing his dilemma of getting Davia to and from work was being answered. He gladly accepted and then hung up the phone.

"Beth is going to come get you and Zach's gonna hang out with me while you are at work. Those two are a fucking Godsend." Daryl told Davia.

"Well I don't have to be anywhere for a few hours, so let's just enjoy some time alone together." She told him.

Daryl was settled on the couch and Davia carefully maneuvered herself on the couch beside him. She wanted to grab him up and wrap herself around him, but knew she would probably end up killing him if she did, so instead she draped her legs over his legs, rested her head on his shoulder and took his hands in hers.

Daryl began to speak "tomorrow's gonna be hard for me Davia, I ain't gonna lie." He told her.

"I know, but everything is taken care of, so you don't have to worry about anything." She replied.

"When do I need to pay? I know funerals ain't cheap." He questioned her.

"I took care of it Daryl." She assured him.

"No, that ain't right. I got some money and I will get it to ya Monday, Davia why didn't you say anything? I just assumed they would bill me." He told her.

"No, they don't do that for funerals…they don't want to risk you not paying. It's expensive to dig up bodies." She said, trying to make a joke. Then she thought about it and realized it probably wasn't that funny all things considered.

However, Daryl did laugh "I didn't think about that. I will get you the money on Monday though. Ain't no need to draw your bank account down." He told her.

"Daryl, just hold onto your money right now. You are going to be drawing a reduced salary for the next couple of months and I put it on my credit card. You can pay it off in monthly payments until you are up on your feet financially and can pay off the balance. I don't mind, I hardly use the thing." She told him.

"You sure? I don't want you stuck in a financial hardship."

"I'm sure Daryl. Now stop worrying or you are gonna give yourself a heart attack. I found a pair of black slacks in your clothes and a black button up shirt. I am going to wash and press them for you to wear. Unfortunately the clothes you wore to Glenn and Maggie's wedding weren't repairable." She told him.

"Baby girl, please don't put yourself out on my account. I ain't worth it." He told her holding her gaze.

"You are worth it, and so much more Daryl."

"You know that list you gave me? Do you remember what the last thing on the list was?" He asked her.

She thought back about the things she wrote down

_**Go to the beach and watch a sunset.**_

_**Drink until I am drunk**_

_**Have a pet**_

_**Sing at the Grand Ole Opry**_

_**Zip Line**_

_**Take a cooking class**_

_**Volunteer at the homeless shelter**_

_**Travel**_

_**Learn to knit**_

_**Fall in love with someone and have that person love me back.**_

"Yes, I remember it Daryl. Why?" She asked.

"Cross number ten off the list, at least the part about someone loving you back. Davia Longstreet, I love you. I ain't never been in love before, but I know with every part of me that I love you deeply and completely. I hope one day soon you feel the same." He confessed.

"Oh Daryl…it won't be one day soon, it's NOW. I love you so much it hurts. I can't even put it into words how much I love you." She told him as tears came to her eyes. No one had ever told her that before, and now she was at a loss for words to tell Daryl just how much he meant to her.

She picked up his hand and began peppering it with kisses, then she began to kiss his cheeks, neck, forehead, and any other part of him she could touch without hurting him. Daryl couldn't help but grin at her sweetness.

"Honey you are gonna start something that I can't finish if you don't stop. Speaking of, how did it go at the doctor yesterday?"

"It went well. I have a prescription for birth control pills now and I will start them after my next cycle. It takes a month for the pills to be fully effective." She said, slightly embarrassed to speak of such things to Daryl.

"Well the timing lines up then, because I ain't gonna be worth a shit when it comes to Sex for at least that long." He told her.

"Daryl, have you been with many women?" She asked.

He gave her a baffled look "Why do you ask? I promise you I always wore a condom and I ain't got no diseases if that is what you are asking? Learned from Merle to wrap it up before you fucked…um, were with someone like that. Also got tested a few months ago when I got a physical." He told her.

"No…that wasn't what I was asking, though it's good to hear. I meant, you have a lot more experience than I do, and all I really know about sex is what I read. I hope you aren't going to be disappointed." She confessed to him.

"Why would I be disappointed? I know you don't have experience, which means we will learn together. I would hardly call what I did with other women as decent sex. I didn't really care if they got off or not, because it was all about me. If they were offering it, and I was drunk enough, then I would oblige. When we are finally together, I want you to enjoy it. Trust me, I got a lot to learn too." He admitted to her.

"Daryl, I've never had an orgasm. I don't even know if I can. I tried to…never mind." She said blushing.

"You tried to what Davia? Touch yourself?" He asked wanting to know what she said.

"Yes, but I couldn't get into it. All I did was think about how disgusting my body was. I always imagined sex as this beautiful experience between two people, and then when I imagined myself with anyone, I picture them being repulsed by me." She told him.

"I ain't even remotely repulsed by you Davia. You turn me on like crazy. I thought you would think the same thing about me. These scars I got aren't exactly sexy. I've never had sex with anyone with my shirt off. Hell, usually I just unzip my fly and have at it. Now does that sound like a good time to you?" He asked her.

"No, it actually sounds kind of mechanical. So with what you just told me does that mean it will be different for you because you are in love with me?" She asked.

"Oh yeah, definitely different. I want it to be perfect, but I ain't gonna lie, it can be awkward. My first time was a joke." He told her.

"Why was that?" She inquired.

"I was sixteen and didn't have a clue what I was doing. To use the words 'fumbling around' is an understatement. When it was over she wanted to 'cuddle' and I wanted to run. I was mortified about the whole thing. After that it only happened if I was drunk. It ain't gonna be like that with us. I want to be sober and I want it to last and then hold you in my arms afterwards." He informed her.

"That would be nice. But Daryl, look at me, won't you be embarrassed to admit you were intimate with me?" She asked him honestly.

"Hell no, Davia your beautiful, sweet, smart, and talented. I feel like I hit the lottery with you. You ain't gotta worry about me doing you wrong or not wanting to be with you. I'm proud to be with you."

"I love you" she said simply and meant it.

…

Beth and Zach showed up around eight and Zach brought a Pizza and beer, knowing Beth would be driving him home later. Daryl had to break the news to him that he couldn't drink the beer because of the pain meds he was taking, but encouraged Zach to drink up. Before the girls left the two men had already started talking about Daryl's house and what needed to be done to get it into a livable condition.

Davia gave Daryl a quick kiss and he grabbed her hand "Hurry home" He told her as she and Beth left for the bar. On the way over to the bar Beth began chatting. "You and Daryl have something special. We can all see it. I had always been afraid of the Dixon brother's…but knowing Daryl has proven me wrong. I think Merle overshadowed him so much people never really saw Daryl for who he was."

"Beth, he is so incredible and caring…I feel like I am addicted to him." She admitted to the younger girl.

"Doesn't that feel good? That's how I feel about Zach. He treats me like his whole world revolves around me and he always puts me first. When we are together alone it's electric." Beth told Davia.

"Beth, can I ask you a personal question? Are you and Zach…intimate?"

Beth giggled when she noticed Davia's face turned red "Well we have been dating for two years Davia. Yeah, we are, please don't say anything to Daddy. He still has a vision of me getting married and still being a Virgin. He knew Maggie had no shot of achieving that, , but I'm his baby girl, and he still holds onto that fantasy."

"Oh, I would never say anything to Hershel, it's not my place. I just need someone to talk to about these things. Beth, I have a million questions, I've never been with someone." She didn't bring up the fact that technically she wasn't still a virgin just because of the fact it was too long of a story to tell.

"Really? I would of thought someone as pretty and talented as you would have had a few relationships." Beth admitted.

"Beth you are sweet, but I am by far not pretty. Men don't find someone like me attractive, which is why I am so surprised that someone as ruggedly handsome as Daryl is seems to like me. In fact, he told me he loves me."

"Do you love him back?" Beth asked.

"Yes I do, and I told him that tonight before you guys showed up. We talked about sex and he knows I don't have any experience. I was hoping you might be able to give me some pointers." Davia said in an almost pleading tone.

"Well the first thing I can tell you is if you are nervous the first time and tense up, it will make it painful. Just relax and don't think about it…let it be natural. Daryl will know what to do and he will guide you through everything." Beth told her.

"But what do I do after he penetrates me?" She asked, whispering the last part.

"Well you might feel some friction and some pressure…the muscles will stretch, but if you are calm and into the moment your body will produce natural lubrication. If you are relaxed it will start to feel good, and you should move with him. Start to develop a rhythm together and the next thing you know you will be wanting him to press up against certain places…like your 'you know' on the outside." Beth told her, this time she was the one getting embarrassed.

"Oh!" Davia said.

"Yeah, that is the magic spot. When he is inside of you and rubbing on the outside, there isn't anything that feels better. Out of instinct you will start moving your hips to have him keep rubbing you 'there'…the next thing you know you start to lose yourself and you want that feeling to keep going on and on. Then there is a buildup that feels like electricity shooting through your body. That is the part that makes you want to do it over and over again." Beth told her.

"God Beth, you make it sound so amazing." Davia said.

"Because it is. I once had a friend tell me 'sex is like sugar candy, once you get a taste you want more and more.' And she was right. But if you don't have an orgasm the first time, don't be discouraged. Most people don't, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't feel good. It took me a couple of times to get there, but when I did…Oh my." Beth told her, laughing now.

"Thanks Beth. I am glad I finally have someone to talk to about it. I just don't want to do the wrong thing."

"You can't do the wrong thing Davia, just do what makes you feel good, and Daryl will react to your needs. People have been doing this for thousands and thousands of years, it's one of the most natural things we can do." Beth assured her.

The two girls continued to chat about their men, and Beth's audition on Monday. Beth was nervous but Davia assured her that she would do fine. Beth had a soft folksy sound to her voice and it would be a nice contrast to Davia's bluesy-rock voice. Honestly they were divergent in their singing styles, but the few times they had performed together sounded incredible. The mixture of their voices played well with each other.

Right before Davia was about to hit the stage she looked out into the sold-out audience and her heart hit her stomach. None other than Lori Grimes was sitting close to the stage with Shane Walsh. Nightmares from her past came flooding back and Davia had to stop and catch her breath before she nervously made her way to the stage. She knew Shane was Rick's partner, but what she couldn't understand was why the two of them were here at the bar…together and without Rick. Lori never had any love for Davia, so that baffled her even more.

Davia pulled it together and delivered a strong performance. Beth met her back stage and gave her a hug. "Davia you always amaze me at how well you perform. You leave all of yourself out there when you perform and the results are almost hypnotic."

"Thanks sweetie, next week it will be you doing the same thing. I have every confidence that you will do as well as me, if not better." She said hugging the younger girl back.

Their hug was interrupted by the clearing of a throat and they both turned around to see Shane and Lori standing there looking pensive.

Lori spoke first "Hi Davia it's been a long time. Rick is working tonight and Shane wanted to get me out of the house and when I heard you were performing I told him I wanted to come see you." She seemed genuinely happy to see Davia, but something didn't feel right.

Shane then spoke "Yeah Lori, I've been trying to convince Ms. Longstreet to go out with me for dinner, but my charms don't seem to be working on her."

Davia then spoke "Lori it's good to see you" it was a lie "and Shane, as flattered as I am that you are interested, I am already in a relationship." She said politely. Beth was still standing there taking in the awkward banter.

"Oh Davia, I'm so happy for you. Who are you seeing?" Lori inquired sweetly. Almost too sweetly.

"Daryl Dixon, I thought everyone knew that, I know Rick did since he was working Merle's case. Did he not mention it?" Davia said, knowing damn well that Rick most likely had said something.

"No…we try not to talk about his work at home. So you are seeing Daryl Dixon? He's so…well let's just say I can't picture you two together, but I'm happy if you are happy."

"We are very happy together. Daryl's a good man." Davia said.

"I can see how happy he makes you. Normally I would picture him with someone 'different' then you. Men like that seem to like the girls who look like sleazy models, I'm impressed he seems to be interested in a girl with some meat on her bones. Maybe there is more to him than I thought. I know Shane seems to be taken with you as well. There's nothing wrong with being a chubby girl." Lori said, the backhanded compliment not being missed by Davia.

Beth caught it too "Davia has curves, and a lot of men find that sexy. I would give anything to look like her, she is one of the most beautiful women I have ever met, and her and Daryl are so in love you can't miss it when the two of them are together. I'm confused though Lori, why are you out with Rick's partner?" God Davia loved Beth.

"Oh, well we are good friends and he worries about me going crazy since I'm pregnant and I can't get out like I used too." Lori replied. Both Davia and Beth caught a glance that Shane gave Lori when she mentioned the baby. Something was off but they couldn't quite put their finger on it.

The awkward exchange ended with Shane and Lori heading out so she could get home and get some rest. Beth and Davia headed to Beth's car when Davia remembered she left her jacket behind. Hold on one second Bethy, I have to get my jacket. She ran back into the bar to the little makeshift dressing room and grabbed her jacket. As she hit the door to leave Shane was standing there waiting for her. "Where's Lori?" Davia asked.

"Ladies room, apparently being pregnant she has to pee all the time. Look Davia, I want you to understand how much I really want to take you out. You are letting that stupid redneck cloud your mind. You're smarter than that, I know you are." He said in a slightly pleading voice.

"He isn't clouding my mind Shane, I truly have feelings for him."

"I won't and can't accept that you would choose him over me. Davia, I have so much more to offer and it would stop all the whispers around town regarding you and him. Daryl has a reputation for loving and leaving his women, and the women he has been with are nothing like you. Don't get me wrong, you're an attractive girl, but you aren't his type. Face it Davia, he's going to dump you once he gets what he wants from you." Shane said.

"STOP IT SHANE, he isn't like that. He's had his chance to run, and he hasn't. If you don't stop doing this I'm going to have to put my foot down. Now leave me be." She said rushing past him. He grabbed her arm, a bit more forceful than needed and got in her face.

"It ain't over Davia. I get what I want, and if you would get that piece of shit out of your head you would see I am a decent guy. You are making a fucking huge mistake." He said with his teeth gritted. Fortunately for Davia, Dale had walked in on the tail end of the conversation.

"Is everything OK here?" He said, sensing the tension.

"Fine Dale, I'm on my way out." Davia said in a flustered voice. When Davia left Dale turned to Shane "I don't know what your game is here Shane, but that girl needs you to leave her the hell alone. I know all about what is going on with you and Lori and I know that Rick doesn't have a clue that her baby might be yours. Using Davia as a front to hide your transgressions isn't going to work. Leave her and Daryl alone or I will make you sorry." Dale said in a very serious tone.

"Don't threaten me Dale…not unless you want trouble. Do you get what I'm telling you? Now if you will excuse me I need to take Mrs. Grimes home to her husband and her son." He said angrily. Dale knew he had hit the nail on the head with what was really going on, and he wasn't going to let a scum bag like Shane Walsh deny Davia the happiness she deserved.

…

Davia and Beth discussed the interaction with Shane and Lori in detail on the way back to Davia's apartment. They both came to the same conclusion that they thought there was more to Shane and Lori's relationship than just friendship. The way that Shane looked at Lori when she mentioned the baby made them both wonder if the baby could possibly be Shane's. "It makes sense." Beth said.

"Yeah, but would Shane really do that to his best friend? I mean I've known Lori for a long time, and I wouldn't put it past her, but Shane really seems to love Rick like a brother." Davia told Beth.

"Well Shane also strikes me as the type that wants what other's have. Which is why you have to be careful around him. I don't trust him one bit and I wouldn't put anything past him regarding you and Daryl. Keep your eyes open when he is around and you need to tell Daryl what is going on as well." Beth told her.

"No, I don't want to upset him. I can handle it without getting Daryl involved." Davia told Beth.

"Please listen to me Davia, you don't want to start off your relationship keeping secrets. It will eat you up if you don't. Tell him…tonight. Daryl might get pissed, but at least he will know to keep an eye out for Shane." Beth implored.

"You're right Beth. I will tell him tonight after you and Zach leave. It's only fair that he knows. I just know he isn't going to like it." She replied.

"And he should be mad…Shane was out of bounds." Beth said. It was weird, though Beth was younger than Davia she seemed to have much more wisdom about things than her older friend. For Davia, it was good to have Beth in her corner.

…

When they got home Beth helped a very drunk Zach up off the couch. He stood shakily and turned to Daryl "Man, It's been a pleasure" and then he turned and gave Davia a soft kiss on the cheek. "Until we meet again" He said.

Davia was trying to hold back a laugh and Beth just rolled her eyes "Come along Zachary, I have to get you home." She said as she led him out of the apartment to her car.

Davia took one look at Daryl and could tell he was exhausted. "How are you feeling?" She asked.

"Tired, but glad to be home. That Zach can talk, but he's alright in my book." Daryl told her.

"Yeah, Beth too. I'm glad we found them. Look there's something I need to talk to you about." She said as she pulled off her jacket to sit down beside him. Before she even had a chance to get the words out Daryl grabbed her wrist when he noticed the bruises on her arm.

"What the hell Davia? Who did this to you?" He said becoming visibly angry. The coldness in his eyes scared Davia and she quickly pulled her arm away from him.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. There was an incident tonight after my set." She told him.

"What the fuck happened? I'm about to get my ass off this couch and kill some mother fucker." He said, seething.

"It was Shane Walsh. He grabbed my arm to get my attention and I don't think he realized how rough he was." She replied.

"Why the fuck did he touch you? I swear I'm gonna kill that bastard where he stands." Daryl said trying to get up off the couch. Unfortunately his bravado was stronger than he was at the moment and when he tried to stand up his legs wobbled and the room spun, and Davia caught him before he fell face first into the coffee table.

"Whoa Daryl. Now just calm the heck down. Listen to what I have to say first before you get yourself killed without even making it out of the apartment." She said firmly, slightly ticked that he wouldn't let her speak.

"Fine, let's start with Shane laying his hands on you. The stupid Prick…"

"Will you stop and listen to me for a minute? Him and Lori, Rick's wife, were at the show tonight. They came by after and Lori managed to get in a few snide remarks about my weight, and about me seeing you. Fortunately Beth was there and put Lori in her place. When we got to the car I realized I left my jacket, and when I went to get it Shane confronted me about not going out with him."

"Wait, he asked you out? He knows you're my woman." Daryl said. Davia's heart fluttered a little when Daryl made the proclamation, but she didn't want him to go off on a tangent again.

"Anyhow I told him to leave me alone and that I was happy with you…he said some not so nice things about you and he swears you are going to use me and leave me."

"Mother Fucker, I ain't gonna do no such thing…"Davia placed a finger up to get him to stop speaking.

"Dale heard Shane and came and rescued me. I left and I'm not sure what happened after that. That being said, Beth and I think something is going on with Shane and Lori and Shane wants to use me as an excuse to keep Rick off his trail. I bet you anything that Lori doesn't know who the baby's daddy is. Lori has always been a conniving bitch." Davia said.

"Man that is totally fucked up. Rick is a decent guy and if his so called best friend is doing that to him behind his back it shows me Walsh is an even bigger douche than I thought."

"Exactly. That being said, Shane is still a cop and nothing would give him greater pleasure than to arrest you for assaulting an officer. You need to keep calm and ignore his taunts Daryl. I mean it. I don't want to waste money on bail when you have a new home to work on. Let's keep our priorities straight." Davia said practically shouting.

Daryl began to laugh, breaking the tension that had built between them "Why Davia Longstreet, I didn't know ya had it in ya. That's my girl." He said making reference to her angered outburst.

"Stop picking Daryl, I'm serious. I don't want you away from me for one second, and I don't want Shane Walsh thinking he beat you at anything." She told him.

Daryl took his hands and rubbed them across his face, knowing Davia had defeated him. "Fine, but if he so much as looks at you funny, I want you to report him or tell me. Got it?" He asked.

"Got it. Now let's go to bed you can barely hold your eyes open and we have a big day tomorrow." She said. She helped him get up off the couch and he eased himself into the bed while she turned on the late news. She slipped into the bathroom and changed into her sleeping clothes and then eased herself into the bed beside Daryl, being careful of his incisions.

"I want ya up against me Davia, these don't hurt as much as I do when you aren't in my arms." He said as he wrapped himself around her. They shifted around a bit to find a position he was comfortable in and then watched the rest of the news. Finally both of them slipped into a deep and relaxing sleep for the first time in over a week.

…

Daryl woke up the next morning in a somber mood. Today would be the day that they laid Merle to rest. The finality of it all weighed heavily on him, but he didn't want to burden Davia with his grief. Merle had been the only real constant in his life and now that was gone. Add in the fact that his father most likely would be at the service today was also causing Daryl a bit of concern. He had not seen his father since he was fourteen years old, and the last time he had seen the man face to face he had given him a beating so brutal that it left Daryl unconscious on the kitchen floor. For days after that beating Daryl waited in fear for the man to return from a drunken binge, but it never happened. After a month he and Merle decided that Will Dixon was either dead or had finally done them a favor and abandoned them.

Davia had done as she said and had Daryl's clothes washed and pressed and laid out for him to wear. She herself had opted to wear a sapphire blue dress with matching shoes. She had once again helped Daryl bathe, this time she was a little more relaxed and didn't seem to be nervous when Daryl was in front of her in all his naked glory. She attributed it to the fact that were getting ready for his brother's funeral and there wasn't anything sexual about preparing for a funeral.

Daryl had insisted that he would drive them, so he opted not to take any pain medication that morning. He had become a master of pushing pain down both physical and mental his entire life, so getting through a few hours for his brother's memorial service didn't seem like much of a challenge to him.

To be honest, Daryl wasn't sure if many people would even show up. When they arrived at the funeral home the funeral director introduced himself to Daryl and explained how the celebration of Merle's life would happen. Merle was by no means a hero, but he did have his good points. Since Merle was a war veteran, a military color guard was provided. Daryl was surprised, but pleased that something of Merle's good deeds would be brought out during the memorial.

Then the funeral director spoke "Would you like to visit with the body before we open up the service to everyone else?"

Daryl nodded and Davia agreed to go with him so he could say his last private goodbye to his brother. They walked together hand in hand to Merle's open casket and Daryl smiled. Merle was wearing his military dress uniform and he looked down right heroic. Daryl wasn't a fool, Merle was by far no hero in his later years, but during his military service he served the country proudly and sacrificed his sanity to defend his country and help out individuals in a fucked up war that he had no part of. Merle never once spoke of what it was that had damaged him so deep mentally, but Daryl knew that for it to have such an effect on his brother, it had to have been horrific. Merle was the toughest son-of-a-bitch he knew, and there was a part of Daryl that wished that just that one time Merle would have reached out to others for help. Maybe if he had, he wouldn't have gone down the path he did when he returned to Blue Ridge to care for Daryl all those years ago.

Daryl couldn't fight the tears that slipped down his rugged face. He and Merle would never have the opportunity to hunt together again. There wouldn't be any more bailing Merle out of a wayward bar fight or the "world as Merle saw it" conversations. There wasn't any more Merle Dixon. Just some fucked up memories of a life cut way too short.

The tears gave way to sobs and Daryl felt hands on his shoulders and he turned into arms of Davia…only it wasn't Davia. He opened his eyes long enough to see it was Will Dixon offering comfort to his youngest son. For a moment Daryl held onto his father with all his might, but then the memories of everything Will had done to him in the past came flooding back and Daryl pushed the old man away. Without a word he stormed out of the room and took off out the front door of the funeral home.

Davia sat there with her mouth open at what just happened. Will had slipped in unnoticed and had she been more aware of her surroundings and less focused on Daryl's grief she wouldn't have let the older man approach his son.

"No offense Mr. Dixon, but you had no right, not at this point." She said in a direct tone.

"I'm sorry Ma'am…It's just I saw him there grieving and I wanted to comfort my boy. Lord knows I owe him that." He said in earnest.

"I'm Davia, Davia Longstreet and I'm Daryl's girlfriend" She said, using the term for the first time. Girlfriend seemed so insignificant compared to what they felt for each other, but for now, it was the best she had to offer the man.

"Pleased to meet you Ms. Longstreet. If you don't mind, I would like to go speak with Daryl. I promise not to upset him. My wife Jacqui is out in the main lobby waiting with the other guests to offer their condolences." He told Davia.

"You can try, but PLEASE don't push him. He just got out of the hospital yesterday and this is a very difficult day for him." She said pleading to the man.

"I understand. The last thing I want to do is cause Daryl anymore hurt than I already have." Will told her.

He excused himself and found Daryl tucked along the side of the funeral home smoking a cigarette. Will approached him cautiously.

"Daryl, I'm sorry if I upset you." He said in a gentle voice. This was not the same monster Daryl had seen twenty-two years earlier. Daryl took in his father's appearance. His face was worn and his hands looked knotted with arthritis and Will no longer stood tall, but was slightly hunched. He appeared much smaller than Daryl last remembered him.

"You don't get to do this here. You can't make all the shit you did in the past go away in five minutes. I'm sorry, but we can't have this conversation right now." Daryl told him.

"I understand Daryl, and I apologize for getting you riled up. You are right, and I don't deserve your kindness or your time. I just wanted to say Thank You for allowing me to attend Merle's service. He looks real good in that uniform. If you want to talk, I'm in town for a few days and I would love to take you and Davia to dinner, just to catch up, nothing more." Will told him.

Daryl's mind was going in a million different directions, and right now he needed to focus on Merle. So much pain and misery had been placed on Daryl at the hands of this man and he just couldn't let it go, at least right now.

"Fine, I appreciate your sincerity and all, but you know what you put me through when I was younger, and I can't get over it just like that. You wanna talk? Meet me tomorrow at Merle's place and help me clear it out. I got a lot of questions for ya and I don't want no bullshit answers. It's been a hell of week, one of the worse of my life and I ain't got no patience for folks trying to blow smoke up my ass. I'll get you the address if you agree, but it's just you and me…no one else." Daryl told his father.

"Alright, sounds like a good idea. Son, I really am sorry about Merle. I hope you know I ain't who I used to be. I ain't asking for a second chance, I just want you to let me apologize for what I did to ya and maybe we can re-open the lines of communication. I ain't never quit thinking about you and what I did." Will said, his eyes glistening with genuine tears.

"Let's get back inside before the service starts." Daryl said curtly.

Davia and Daryl sat together at the front of the small chapel. Merle really did look impressive lying in state wearing his full military uniform. No one would have realized he died a desperate junkie had it not been all over the news. To both Daryl and Davia's surprise there was a good size turn out for his service.

Most of the people who came were there to support Daryl. Hershel and his wife Annette showed up, along with Dale and Irma, several of Daryl's co-workers, Zach and Beth, and few of Merle's acquaintances. A few people got up to share some funny stories about Merle, and the pastor gave a message on lost sheep being able to find their way back home. The pastor asked Daryl if he wanted to offer a few words about his brother, and with Davia's encouragement he went up to the front of the chapel and began to speak.

"I ain't big on words…Merle was the talkative one as most of y'all know. If he were able too, he'd take over this room in five minutes and have all of us laughing, or at least fighting. Look, I know Merle won't no Saint, but he was my brother, and he was there for me when no one else was. He practically raised me. When I hit rock bottom and had nothing, he gave up everything to come take care of me. It wasn't all peaches and cream, but it was what it was. When you met Merle, you knew where you stood and he didn't sugar coat anything. He taught me how to be a man, how to survive, and for that I will always be grateful. Say what you want about Merle Dixon, but he did things his way and stayed true to who he was, which was the best he could do. Nothing was more important to Merle than family, and I'm glad I got to have him in my life." Daryl said, his voice cracking at the last statement. He quickly moved to sit down beside Davia and she squeezed his hand to comfort him. She knew he was on the verge of breaking down, so she gently began to rub his back getting him to relax.

"That was beautifully said Daryl. Merle would have been proud." She whispered in his ear.

After a few more people spoke Davia got up and went to the piano to sing. She knew exactly what song would be perfect for the occasion and began to sing Vince Gill's "Go Rest High on that Mountain." It was a little high for her vocal range, but she knew she could still knock it out.

_**I know your life on earth was troubled**_

_**And only you could know the pain**_

_**You weren't afraid to face the Devil**_

_**You were no stranger to the rain**_

_**Go rest high on that mountain**_

_**Son your work on earth is done**_

_**Go to Heaven a shoutin'**_

_**Love for the Father and the Son**_

_**Oh, how we cried the day you left us**_

_**We gathered round your grave to grieve**_

_**Wish I could see the angels' faces**_

_**When they hear your sweet voice sing**_

_**So go rest high on that mountain**_

_**Son, your work on earth is done**_

_**Go to Heaven a shoutin'**_

_**Love for the Father and the Son**_

_**So go rest high on that mountain**_

_**Son, your work on earth is done**_

_**Go to Heaven a shoutin'**_

_**Love for the Father and the Son**_

_**Go to Heaven a shoutin'**_

_**Love for the Father and the Son**_

When she finished all you could hear were sniffles and silence. If ever there was a more fitting song for Merle Dixon it was this one. Daryl was looking at the floor, trying so hard to keep his emotions in check. Davia made her way back to him and as soon as she sat down beside him Daryl wrapped his arms around her and collapsed onto her, sobbing at the loss of his only brother.

Her heart broke at that moment as she realized just how alone he felt. She made a vow to never let Daryl feel this alone again. No matter what it took, she would let him know how much she loved him and how important he was to her. Today would be the beginning of a new era for both of them, and one that they would share together, hopefully for the rest of their lives.

_**Well I hope you liked this chapter...it turned into a monster. Next chapter we are going to delve into Daryl/Will's past.**_

_**I have received some incredible reviews and I appreciate each and everyone of them. Please feel free to continue to review, it really helps with the direction of this story. FYI- There will be smut, but we aren't there yet. Davia isn't ready just yet and Daryl can't physically do it right now. But there will be some proper smut. **_

_**I am also going to take us down the road of what happened with Daryl's mother. I know in the show she died in a fire, but I wanted this story to be a bit different. Do you think Daryl Should/Will forgive his father? I would really like to hear your take on this. Just so you know in case you doubted it, Will has genuinely changed. It doesn't make what he did in the past right, but he is no longer that person, and I know on TWD Hershel wasn't a good guy in his early past either, and look how he changed (I miss Hershel bunches)...**_

_**Hope you guys enjoy this weeks TWD...if anyone wants to chat about it you can always PM me. It is one of my most favorite things to talk about LOL.**_

_**Have a fantastic Sunday and don't forget to leave a review...or share with others. **_

_**Love each and everyone of you!**_

_**Missy**_

_**XXOO**_


	11. Chapter 11

**Lot's of Angst in this chapter...**

Merle's service ended at the cemetery where he was laid to his final rest. Daryl had closed himself down after his emotional breakdown on Davia's shoulder. She had noticed that he was wincing as they had made their way from the car to the gravesite and she knew he was in a lot more physical pain than he was letting on. As they lowered Merle's casket into the ground Davia heard Daryl whisper "I'm gonna miss ya brother." Whether he meant to speak it out loud or not she didn't know, but she knew that as complicated as the relationship between the two men was, he would truly miss Merle and his wild escapades.

As they were leaving the cemetery Davia noticed that Will and Hershel were speaking to one another. She remembered Daryl mentioning that the two men used to run together many years earlier and she wondered what they could be speaking about. Jacqui was holding her husband's hand and it wasn't lost on her that Will looked very somber, almost heartbroken. She didn't know what was next for him and Daryl, but she prayed that whatever happened that Daryl didn't end up hurt again by the man that was his father.

After the funeral Daryl insisted that they drive out to the house to check on things. Davia knew it was killing Daryl not to be able to physically work on getting the house in shape for him to move in. Fall was upon them and the skies were over cast and the air was breezy. Davia couldn't help but admire how beautiful the setting of the house sitting above the lake with the leaves changing colors looked. Daryl would be happy here…because it suited him to be away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Blue Ridge.

They walked through the first floor while Daryl checked on things, and then they slowly made their way upstairs to the bedrooms. Daryl asked for Davia's input as to how they should finish off the rooms, and of course she was glad to make suggestions. The master bedroom was impressive with its grand fireplace and French doors that led out to a veranda that overlooked the lake. Yes, without a doubt Daryl would be happy here. Anyone would.

"Davia, I was thinking." Daryl said.

"About what?" She asked.

"Move in here with me. I don't want to be separated from you for one night." He told her earnestly.

"Really? But Daryl I can't drive and that means higher cab fares to get back and forth to work." She told him.

"Stop, I told ya I was gonna teach you how to drive. I'm off work for a while and you don't work during the day, I can have you driving in no time." He told her taking her hand.

Davia was flabbergasted. This was not what she was expecting him to say. Of course she wanted to live here with him, but she was concerned that because of his fragile emotional state after the run-in with his father and burying his brother that he was making a decision he hadn't thought through. Screw it.

"You gotta deal Daryl. But with the driving part, it isn't so much the driving that is my concern as it is passing the written test. You know I can't read very well." She told him.

"We will go over the handbook until you know it back to front. Hell if I can pass it I know you can. So yeah…you are going to move in here and be the lady of the house," He said teasing slightly.

"Yes Daryl!" She said gently embracing him. Now she was just as excited as he was at the prospect of this being 'their' home.

…

After they left the house they went back to Davia's apartment. She encouraged Daryl to lay down and rest, as he looked completely wiped out from the events of the day. He obliged and she helped him get into their bed and pulled off his shoes. He insisted on changing his clothes and changed into a pair of jeans and T-shirt and then lay back down. His head barely hit the pillow before he slipped into a calm sleep.

While Daryl slept Davia went into a whirlwind cleaning up the house, scrubbing floors, washing clothes, and dusting all the furniture. She knew her cleaning was excessive, but it always seemed to help her relax. After she was finished with her cleaning detail she sat down at her computer and went to the Georgia Division of Motor Vehicles website and downloaded the Driving guide. If she had any shot of getting her driver's license she was going to need to get through the handbook so she would be familiar with the Georgia driving laws. Reading was definitely a struggle for her, but she knew this was something she needed to do.

Daryl napped for a good three hours while she slowly read the guidebook. She was on the fourth chapter when she heard Daryl call for her "Davia, I need your help." He said.

She rushed into the bedroom to find his shirt soaked with blood as well as the sheets on the bed.

"Oh My God Daryl, quick, we need to get you to the hospital." She said.

"Calm down girl. I popped some stitches. Ain't nothing serious. I need to get the bleeding stopped and then we need to change and wash the sheets." He said pressing his shirt against the bleeding wound.

Davia nodded and helped him get up and the two went into the bathroom. She found a first aid kit under the sink and Daryl instructed her to find some butterfly bandages. She did as he directed and with his help, they were able to press the wound together and secure it with the bandages. The bleeding had stopped and Daryl felt that they had successfully handled the small crisis.

"That should hold, if ya got some super glue we could seal it up." He told her.

"Daryl Dixon, you are not putting super glue on your wound. God knows what type of germs you would trap in there." She said in a scolding voice.

"Yes Ma'am." He said teasingly.

They pulled the bloodied sheets off the bed and Davia soaked the bloodstains with hydrogen peroxide. It bubbled as it began to work on the stains. Daryl tried to help her put clean sheets on the bed but she shooed him away "Stop it so you don't pop anymore stitches. I think you did entirely too much today. Tomorrow I want you on the couch and I don't want you to move." She insisted.

"Got plans. I'm going over to Merle's to clean out his stuff and see if I can find the box he was talking about." He told her.

"I will go with you. What are you going to do if what he said was true?" She asked.

"First of all, I need ya to stay here. I'm gonna meet my old man over there to talk. I might need ya to put me back together again after that, but I want it to be just him and me. I got a lot of questions to ask him. As far as my mom goes, I ain't decided." He told her.

"Daryl, are you sure you want to do that? I mean your dad seems nice…now, but he could be putting on a front and it could stir up a lot of hurt and pain from your past." She said, concerned.

"I know, that's why I want to meet him one on one. I can judge if he is sincere or not, and I don't want any distractions. No offense Davia, but when you are around I can't keep my mind and my eyes off of ya. You are too fucking hypnotic too me." He said.

Davia blushed at the compliment. "Well if you think you will be OK, then I approve, but you can't lift anything." She replied.

"I know, gonna make the old man work." He said smiling.

…

The next morning Daryl was up early in anticipation of meeting with his father. He quietly got out of bed, observing Davia sound asleep curled up like a cat. She was adorable when she slept and he often found himself just watching her, as she lay there completely unaware of his observation. They had spent hours the previous night caught up in each other's passionate kisses. At one point Daryl had moved Davia gingerly underneath his body and she had allowed his hands to roam freely over her. She had emitted a few moans of pleasure and it had left Daryl more sexually frustrated than he had been in years. Her voluptuous curves elicited a physical response in him that left no questions for Davia regarding just how much he wanted her. For once in his life Daryl wished time would pass quickly so he could heal up and her birth control pill's effectiveness would kick in. He had been thinking about the first time he would have her, and decided that he wanted to make it special for her. He had a few ideas kicking around in his head, now all he had to do was put them into action.

Daryl quickly got dressed, but not before observing his wounds in the mirror. His slashed and re-stitched abdomen looked like something out of a horror movie. Daryl had always been self conscious of the scars that marred his body, but this took the cake. He had always avoided things like going swimming in public, or removing his shirt during intimate moments. Really the only person that he had felt remotely comfortable baring his naked torso too was Davia. She was the only one who had seen him completely exposed, and for once it didn't seem unnatural.

Before he left he went over and stooped down to give Davia a gentle kiss on her cheek. She rustled a bit but didn't wake. He then wrote her a quick note telling her he had left for Merle's place and for her to call him if she needed him for anything. He had his cell, and though he hardly used it, he decided he would stop by on the way home and add her to his phone plan. He would just feel better with her having some sort of mobile communication. Daryl took one final look around the immaculate apartment and smiled. Pretty soon they would both be living at his house at the lake. It wouldn't be his house, but it would be 'their' home.

On his way to Merle's Daryl alternated between smoking cigarettes and chewing his thumb raw. To say he was apprehensive about being alone with is father was an understatement. Though Will Dixon didn't appear to be the monster that he once was, Daryl knew what the man had been capable of in the past. Even though it had been twenty-two years since he had last experienced his father's drunken wrath, Daryl wasn't convinced the man couldn't slip right back into bad habits.

Daryl arrived at the house and used his key to open it up. The smell of old smoke and moldy food greeted him at the door. No one had been at the house since that morning after Merle had been arrested and Daryl had come to retrieve his belongings. It seemed like a lifetime ago, but it had only been a few weeks. There was just a bit of Daryl that still wondered if things would have been different if he and Merle hadn't fought that night. Daryl, however, knew he couldn't dwell on the "what if's." Had those events not happened, he might not be with Davia.

Daryl found some trash bags under the sink and began to toss the spoiled food into the bags. Fortunately there hadn't been much food in the house and he quickly completed the task. He heard a knock at the door and knew it was Will. He opened it up and there he stood face to face alone with his father.

"Ya made it." He said to the old man. Daryl carefully took in his father's appearance, and noticed his father looked as nervous as he did.

"Yeah, lived on this street many years ago when your momma and I got married. Not much has changed since then." Will mused.

"Yep, still a white trash neighborhood. Merle and I lived here near about fifteen years. It was all we could afford at first, then it didn't seem like it was worth the effort to move anywhere nicer 'cause Merle would just fuck it up."

"Merle was always a handful. I reckon he got that from me…I wasn't the best influence." Will admitted.

"Ya think?" Daryl said sarcastically.

Will raised his hands in mock surrender "I brought ya something for breakfast, I swung by the diner and picked up some sausage biscuits and some coffee." Will said, offering a bag to Daryl.

Daryl eyed the bag carefully, not trusting Will's intentions. He remembered all the times when he was a child that he went days without eating because Will would either punish him for trying to eat 'his food' or Will would be too drunk to remember to feed him. Daryl almost refused the offer, but he was hungry and he figured it was the least Will could do. "Thanks" Daryl said as he took the bag from his father.

"Your welcome. So where do you want to get started around here? Looks like there is a lot to clean up, and I am going to make the assumption you are limited in what you physically can do. I'll let you direct me into what needs to be done." Will said concerned about Daryl's still healing abdomen.

"Kinda weird ain't it, me telling ya what to do?" Daryl said in a snarky manner while lighting up a cigarette.

"Well I'm glad to do whatever you ask Daryl. I owe at least that much to you." He said, knowing Daryl was testing him.

Daryl then offered him a cigarette "Ya still smoke?"

"Not since I left. I gave up all my vices." Will replied.

"You sure it wasn't just because you didn't have a human ashtray to use anymore?" Daryl bit back.

Will gave Daryl a pained look. He suspected this would be a difficult discussion with Daryl, and Daryl wasn't holding back any punches. Will chose to ignore Daryl's comment.

The two moved wordlessly into Merle's room and began to rummage through Merle's belongings. Of course Daryl found ample drug paraphernalia under the bed and quickly tossed all of his pipes and needles into the trash. "Reckon no one needs this shit anymore." He said slightly amused at all the illegal crap his brother once possessed.

"It's a shame your brother couldn't ever quit using. He was going at it pretty heavy when I left, it was half the reason he wasn't around much when you were coming up." Will stated.

"Where the fuck do you get off making a statement like that? He wasn't around because he didn't want to deal with your fucking beatings. Don't blame the drugs Old man, it was you. He used to escape from you, and it wasn't like you were exactly clean. You know, after you left he came back and took care of me because I was just a scared skinny kid that had no money, no food, and no fucking hope left in this world. Merle won't perfect, but at least he fucking tried. He taught me what it was like to be a man, and not some abused animal." Daryl said defending his brother. He knew Merle was a mess, but with Will Dixon as your father what the hell did you expect.

"Daryl do you not think that I don't take responsibility in what happened to Merle…to you? I know I'm the reason. I can't even remotely begin to make up for what I did to you boys. The only thing I can fix is what happens from this point forward." Will said in earnest.

"Ain't that simple and you know it. You're lucky I even agreed to this and didn't wring my hands around your neck for all the shit you did to me in the past. This ain't some shit about me being mad that you didn't get me a pony, this is about the fucking HELL you put me through. I think my biggest question is why?" Daryl asked.

"Dunno Daryl." Was all Will managed to reply.

Daryl decided to drop the subject, he didn't feel like arguing and he knew his father's answer was bullshit. You don't severely abuse and neglect a kid without a reason. Daryl just wanted to know what that reason was.

After an hour Will had begun to lift boxes out of Merle's closet. Daryl had considered donating Merle's clothing to Goodwill, but there wasn't anything in good enough shape to give away, so aside from Merle's leather motorcycle vest, Daryl pitched the remaining items into the trash. Daryl was waiting for Will to pull down the rest of the boxes, looking for the one in particular that Merle had told him about.

"Well that's the last of 'em" Will said as he finished emptying out the closet.

Daryl spotted the box Merle had mentioned, and with shaky hands he opened it up. Inside were family photos and about twenty letter's bundled together. The last one was dated twenty-five years ago and had been postmarked from Montana. Damn, his mother had went a long way to escape from Will Dixon. Daryl fought the urge to open them up and read them there, but he didn't want his father to see his reaction to any of the letters. He lifted the box, wincing as he did so, and began to carry it out to his truck.

"Daryl, let me carry that for you." Will said attempting to take the box from Daryl.

"Leave me be and stay here." Daryl commanded the older man, who looked at his son with bewilderment.

Daryl took the box to the truck and put it on the floorboard on the passenger side. To be honest, he wanted to go through its contents alone. He didn't even want Davia with him, because he didn't want to burden her if he had some sort of emotional reaction. Davia had already been put through so much because of him, and he was wondering when the girl would come to her senses and realize there was a lot of baggage that accompanied him.

Daryl made his way back into the house and Will was disassembling Merle's bed. "Daryl if you don't mind, can I have the salvageable items to donate to my church? I can rent a trailer and take them back to Chattanooga."

"Don't give a fuck, I ain't got no need for them. Don't you think it's a bit ironic to give a drug addict's shit to someone at church?" Daryl taunted.

"You'd be surprised what people in need are willing to accept. This might be the difference between someone sleeping on a floor or not." Will reminded his son.

"Since when did you become so noble? I don't get it old man. You come here now, some fucking saint, but what happened to the monster you used to be?" Daryl asked earnestly.

"First of all, I will tell you but I want you to sit down. You're looking worn out and you need your rest." Will told Daryl.

Daryl was aching, and he was exhausted, so he took his father's advice and sat down in the worn out recliner that Merle would park himself in after many a drunken night. Will sat down on one of the kitchen chairs, pulling it in front of Daryl.

"First thing I want to say to you Daryl is I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all of my past deeds. The things I did to you, Merle, and worse of all Nora…it's inexcusable." Will began.

"Hope you ain't waiting for me to offer you forgiveness. I've lived with the aftermath of your 'past deeds' for almost my entire life." Daryl said, not giving the man any sense of absolution.

"No I'm not Daryl. I can't forgive myself, so how can I expect you to forgive me. I see your anger, and if it was me, I'd be angry too. You have every right to be. You asked me earlier why I did what I did to you, and I guess it's because I blamed you for all that went wrong with this family. You weren't the reason, but I didn't want to blame myself." Will admitted.

"What the hell did I do other than be born?" Daryl asked angrily.

"Being born was enough. Your momma and I married young, and we were in love. She was beautiful and so sweet. She took good care of me and I went to work everyday, just the way things were supposed to happen. After we were married a few years, Merle came around, and I was a proud poppa. I had a son that would carry on the Dixon name. What more could a son of the South ask for?" Will laughed.

"So what went wrong?" Daryl asked.

"We were content, but we struggled financially. That wasn't unheard of in this neighborhood though. We were all blue-collar workers so no one really cared how poor we were. I had been working a job as a pipe fitter, when an opportunity came up for me to work the copper mines up in Tennessee. The pay was good, but it meant I would be traveling during the week and home on the weekends. Your momma and Merle would be alone." Will told Daryl.

"Lot's of people travel for work and don't do what you did to me and Merle, so what made you so different?" Daryl asked.

"Being away from home with the other guys meant we had a lot of extra time on our hands. I started drinking to pass the time, and then the drinking became more than just an occasional habit, it became a way of life." He said sadly.

Daryl knew all too well what Will was talking about. He had taken some out of town electrical assignments in his career, and knew that that he and his co-workers would drink and go to strip bars. He also knew that a lot of the married men would also take up with bar sluts that would flaunt themselves at them in exchange for a few drinks and a dinner. He himself had hooked up with a slutty chick on occasion.

"Did you cheat on her?" Daryl asked his father directly.

"Not at first, but eventually I did. I justified it by telling myself it was your momma's fault for letting me leave my other job, but it was just a sorry excuse. Eventually I was rarely coming home, choosing to stay at the job site with the guys." Will admitted.

"So once again, you couldn't take responsibility for your own actions huh? How did I come into all of this?" Daryl said shaking his head in disgust.

"Eventually I wasn't really sending much money to your momma and Merle, and she was forced to turn to social services for food stamps. Your Uncle Jess, he took pity on her and began to help her out. He tried to talk sense into me, reminding me what a good woman Nora was, but I wouldn't listen. I was only coming home once or twice a month, and Merle was starting to lash out in school, he was seven or eight years old and couldn't grasp what was going on. One night I got a call from your momma and she told me she was pregnant. Instead of being happy, I was angry and I felt betrayed."

"Why the hell did you feel betrayed? She didn't do anything to you!" Daryl yelled.

"I know, but with me being gone so much, and Jess watching out for her I began to suspect it wasn't my baby…that you weren't my son." Will said.

"That's bullshit and you know it, she wouldn't have done that to you, neither would Uncle Jess." Daryl screamed.

"I know that now Daryl, but at the time I was so paranoid because of my own misdeeds I couldn't believe that Nora would stay true to me. Jess was happily married to your Aunt Dottie and would have never strayed from her. It was all me and I couldn't be convinced otherwise. Especially since I had been home so rarely. Turned out I had left your momma so broke she couldn't even afford her birth control pills anymore. After you were born there was no doubt you were mine, but that made me hate you even more." Will said flatly.

"But why?" Daryl asked.

"'Cause I made a damn fool out of myself by accusing her of cheating and I couldn't handle the fact that I had destroyed what was once good with your momma. You were a constant reminder of that, and to make matters worse we were now so broke supporting both of you boys that it just proved what a failure I had turned out to be. I eventually lost my job because I was too hung over to even show up most mornings. Once again, another failure. When I finally came home for good, the damage was done." Will said, now rubbing his face as tears began to slip from his eyes. He truly felt remorse.

He then continued "You were sick as a baby from poor nutrition during your momma's pregnancy, and you cried all the time. I couldn't take it, and I began to lash out at whoever I could, Nora first, then Merle, and finally you. You were the easiest since you were so small. I beat you for the first time before you even turned two years old. That's when Nora told me she was leaving and taking you boys with her. I knew she didn't love me anymore, and that hurt the most. So I wanted to hurt her back. I told her I would kill both of you boys if she left, and I meant it at the time. It was easiest to just tell everyone she was a two-bit whore and abandoned us. It allowed me to save a little face, but it was all a lie. She tried to get y'all back, but I wouldn't let her. I knew she couldn't afford to take me to court, and she knew that if she tried anymore y'all would meet an unfortunate end. She loved you enough to give you up to save your lives. That is why I turned into the sadistic man I was." He then took in a deep breath.

"Merle quit coming around, he was fourteen and running wild, and he was able to defend himself against me at that time, but you…you were easy pickings. I would beat you whenever I thought about her, you were the reminder of what I lost. Then one night, and you know what one I'm talking about, I almost killed you. I woke up the next morning and you were laying unconscious on the kitchen floor, dried blood covering your body. You weren't any older than fourteen at the time. I couldn't do it anymore, I couldn't stay with you because I was going to kill you. The ironic thing Daryl, is that I loved you."

"No…you don't get to say that. It's complete bullshit and you know it. That isn't love, I have no idea what it was, but it wasn't love." Daryl said angrily.

"No you're wrong, I did love you, and I loved Merle, but I loved her more, and that was why I would get so angry. I knew I should have let y'all go with her, you would have been much better off, but I didn't want to let what was mine go, y'all were the last bit of her I had left. That morning I packed my belongings and left for good. I ended up in Chattanooga at a church…and I met my salvation. I haven't had a drink since that day, and I fell in love with Jacqui. Obviously, being the racist pig I was before, it would have been hard for people from my past to understand what direction my life turned, but she makes me happy, and she gives me peace. But that doesn't mean that I haven't lived every single day since I left wondering and worrying about you and Merle. It's too late for me to mend things with Merle, but I would like a chance to at least re-connect with you Daryl. You don't have to decide today, but I would at least like you to consider it." Will said, extending his hand to Daryl.

"Put your hand up, I ain't shaking it. You just dropped a lot of heavy shit on me and I need to think. I won't ever forgive you for what you've done. I heard you had another family? I got any brother's and sisters I don't know about?" Daryl asked.

"Not biological ones. Jacqui has a daughter Michonne, she's just a little younger than you are. She practices law in Atlanta and is one tough lady. Smart and beautiful like her mother, but fierce and protective too. Her biological father was a lot like me, and it took me several years to gain her trust. She was about twelve when I came into the picture. We are now very close and hope one day you get the opportunity to meet her." Will said.

"Yeah, right. Look, I need to get this shit wrapped up. When are you going to get this stuff? I need to turn the keys in to the landlord." Daryl said coldly. His mind was trying to take in everything he had just learned about his parents, and it was a lot to handle. Even at his age, it didn't hurt any less.

"At the end of the week. Jacqui and I are going to have dinner with Hershel and his family. I understand that you and your lady are close with Hershel's daughter. You know, Hershel was a lot like me at one time. When he was with his oldest daughter's momma, he wasn't a good man." Will informed Daryl.

"So I heard, but he never beat his innocent children either. He might have been a drunk, but when his kids were born he chose to do the right thing." Daryl reminded him.

"Your right, not all of us were as smart as Hershel. He did something with his life, and I chose the other path." Will admitted, defeated by Daryl's constant reminding him of his failures. Will had known this wouldn't be easy, but Daryl was relentless.

"What ever happened to momma? No one ever speaks about her…Merle confessed to me as he was dying he had some contact with her while we were younger, but after that, nothing." Daryl asked.

"She went out west and re-married. I think she gave up trying to contact you after she never heard back. Unfortunately, it wasn't your fault. She didn't know that her letters never made it to you. They would come and Merle would take them and hide them. I knew she was trying desperately to contact you with those letters, but I didn't do anything to enlighten you to their arrival in the mail. I guess I thought Merle would share the information." Will said.

"Yeah, he shared it with me on his fucking death bed." Daryl snarled out.

"Son, maybe you should try to find her…none of what happened was her fault. She was scared and alone, and fearful of what I would do to you. Don't blame her for what happened." Will said convincingly.

"I got a lot to process. Look, I'm done from here. Let me know when you are gonna come by and pick up things." Daryl said curtly.

"I will make sure to do that Daryl. Think about what I told you today. And thank you, for at least meeting me here. I truly am sorry for all the hurt I caused you. I pray you use me as an example of what NOT to do to your family." Will said.

"I gotta go." Daryl said as he left without saying another word. His body was aching, but his heart hurt more at this point. He checked his phone and Davia had called three times. He wanted so desperately to just fall into her arms and forget everything that happened today, but he wasn't going to put her through that drama. He needed a pain pill, but he decided he would self-medicate. Instead of heading back to Davia's apartment, he instead headed to Dale's bar.

…

Davia was beginning to grow concerned. She had found the note Daryl had left her that morning, and it said he expected to be back by mid-afternoon. It was now five in the afternoon and he had yet to return. She had a chicken cooking in the crockpot for dinner, but now she wasn't sure he was going to be home. Out of concern, she had tried to call him several times on his cell, but each time it went to voice mail. Desperate, she called Will Dixon, only to find out that Daryl and he had parted ways several hours earlier.

Not knowing what else to do she called up Beth and told her what was going on. Beth told her she would grab Zach and they would go look for Daryl. The young couple arrived at Davia's apartment within thirty minutes, all of them concerned about Daryl's well being.

"You don't think anything bad happened to him do you?" Beth asked, trying to calm down a very pensive Davia.

"I don't know…this isn't like him at all. I am kicking myself for letting him go over there alone. Daryl doesn't handle emotions well and I am afraid he has done something desperate." Davia exclaimed.

Zach then spoke "Davia, take a deep breath, this is Blue Ridge, not New York, we'll find him."

The all got into Zach's car and began to look for Daryl. The first place they went was Merle's house, but Daryl wasn't anywhere in the area. They stopped by Dale's and Dale confirmed that Daryl had stopped in for a few drinks, but had left about two hours earlier. Davia then had a thought "Drive out to his house."

Zach did as she said and sure enough, Daryl's truck was parked out in front of the old farmhouse. "Y'all wait here and I will see if he is inside."

Davia walked in and knew immediately Daryl was in the house. For one thing, the front door wasn't locked and she also picked up the scent of cigarettes wafting through the house. She took a deep breath, relieved Daryl was OK.

She went upstairs and found Daryl sitting on the floor, all the contents of the box she assumed Merle had told him about, spread all over the floor.

"Daryl honey, are you OK?" She asked. She then noticed an almost completely empty bottle of Southern Comfort sitting on the floor beside him.

"Davia…I…" He couldn't speak and she noticed he had tear tracks down his face.

Davia rushed to him and dropped to her knees beside him "Oh Baby, I'm so sorry. Do you want to talk about it?"

"I gotta find her Davia, and I don't know how or where to start." He said crumpling into her arms.

"We'll do it together Daryl. Why didn't you return my calls, did I do something to make you upset with me?" She asked.

"I didn't want to burden you with my problems." He told her.

"Daryl, your problems are my problems from now on. There isn't any reason for you to handle this alone. Why don't you tell me how things went with your father today?" She asked him gently.

And he did. Though he was highly intoxicated, and his words were heavily slurred, he told her every detail of what had transpired with Will earlier. Her heart broke for him, knowing that she should have never let him go alone to spend time with Will. He told her what Will had asked about Daryl allowing him back into his life.

"What do you want to do sweetie?" She said soothingly.

"Davia, I honestly don't know. What do you think I should do?" He asked, his voice seeming small and unsure.

"Daryl you don't have to make a decision today. Think about it, sleep on it, and sober up…then you decide." She said as she wiped his tears off his cheeks. It took a lot to get Daryl to this point, but he had been through such an emotionally trying week she wasn't really sure how he was still sane.

"How did ya get here?" He suddenly asked.

"Zach and Beth brought me. Let's gather these things up and head home." She told him. Before they even made it down the stairs, Daryl found himself getting sick. The excess alcohol and the lack of food turned his stomach into a battleground, and poor Daryl lost the war.

He could barely stand, and Zach was kind enough to help get Daryl to his car. Zach opted to drive Daryl's truck back to the apartment while Beth drove Davia and Daryl. Davia sat in the backseat with a very sick and quiet Daryl laying with his head in her lap.

"Remind me never to drink again." He said, causing Beth to let out a quiet giggle.

Beth spoke up "Daryl Dixon, don't you ever scare the hell out of us like this again. Zach and me don't take too kindly to our best friends causing us worry like this. The next time you decide to get drunk and go out on an adventure you make sure you take us along with you…OK?" She said.

Daryl responded quietly "Yes Ma'am."

Davia knew that Daryl had a lot of decisions to make, and she was just thankful that she had him back with her, in one piece. When was he ever going to catch a break?

**Poor Daryl...he is dealing with a lot. Do you think he should allow his father a second chance? I curious to know what your thoughts are. There is a lot of conversation in this chapter, and I apologize if it was difficult to follow. **

**Please leave me a lovely review, and let me know your thoughts on what you think Daryl should do next. It's a tough decision.**

**Once again, Will is sincere...there aren't any other ulterior motives.**

**Next chapter will be more light-hearted.**

**I know it's Sunday Night, and a few minutes from TWD...so everyone...ENJOY. I don't think I will be eating much during tonights episode..the Bob-b Q thing has had me disturbed all week.**

**Love each and everyone of you.**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	12. Chapter 12

**I will be real honest...this isn't my best chapter.**

The Southern Comfort Daryl had consumed in excess had left him very sick, and very hung over. Davia wanted to scold him like a child, but she knew Daryl didn't need to be told he had made a stupid mistake. He was miserable and opted to sleep on the couch because he didn't want to risk getting sick in the bed, and to be honest he was embarrassed in his decision on how to handle the information he had found in Merle's belongings.

Surprisingly, Will Dixon had called to check on Daryl to make sure he was OK. When Davia had called him concerned about his whereabouts, he wanted to be sure that Daryl hadn't done anything risky or stupid. Will was well aware of Daryl's emotional state and he truly cared enough to check on his boy.

Davia stayed close to Daryl until he fell into a deep sleep, then slipped off to the room to sleep her self. She missed the warmth of having her man beside her, but knew he was feeling like crap and she figured he was just more comfortable on the couch.

The next morning she woke up and checked on Daryl who was still asleep. She decided to make a pot of strong coffee and some "comfort" food for him. She knew toast and bacon would help to settle his stomach, so she made him a plate and opted to not make eggs, knowing sometimes they could make stomach matters worse.

She finished up the breakfast just as he was starting to rouse on the couch. "Damn, it's been a long time since I've been this hammered. I forgot how bad a hangover felt." He said as she placed his breakfast on the coffee table in front of him, and then she handed him a large glass of ice water, which he drank down greedily.

"Thanks for this." He said as he gingerly tried to sit himself up on the couch. His head hurt, his stomach was turning, and his abdominal wound was burning and itching.

"Anything for you Daryl. You should probably take it easy today. I imagine after your little escapade last night you don't feel all that well." She said.

"Understatement of the century." He mumbled back. Daryl got himself up off the couch and dragged his worn out body into the bathroom. He felt like crap and still smelled like a still, so he opted to take a bath. One thing for sure, he couldn't wait until he was able to take a shower. It would be at least another week before he could fully immerse his body under the hot water, and it couldn't come soon enough. He stripped down and realized he hadn't taken any clean clothes into the bathroom with him. "Fuck" he thought to himself. He would just wrap a towel around him when he was done and then grab some clothes from the room.

Soaking in the tub felt good, though he had to admit he liked it better when Davia was in there to bathe him. He briefly considered playing up his 'disability' knowing full well she would come in and help him out, but it wasn't fair to do that to her. She had gone above and beyond taking care of him and he felt guilty for making her worry the previous day. Daryl wanted to do something special for Davia to show her how grateful he was for everything she had done, but he didn't know what he could do that would equal what she had done for him since they had met.

As he got out of the tub he walked out into the living room wrapped only in his towel, not realizing that Carol had stopped by as she had promised to check on him. Suddenly he felt self-conscious of his bare torso being exposed in the sunlight filled room in front of Carol. He tried to speak, but a grunt was all he could manage.

"Well good to see you again too Daryl." Carol said light-heartily. Daryl looked at her and realized she had a splint on her wrist. Upon closer inspection he also noticed she had bruising on her upper arms, around her neck, and even though she tried to conceal it, there was swelling under her left eye. He recognized those bruises as he had suffered many similar bruises himself when he was younger. Daryl didn't know a lot about Carol's personal life but he thought he remembered her getting married shortly after high school to some asshole from Atlanta who had moved to Blue Ridge backed by his family's money, and opened one of the fancy hotels in town. He also knew Carol had a child, but he wasn't sure if it was a son or daughter. Carol was a nice lady and she certainly didn't deserve to be abused…no one did.

Not really wanting to address his concerns to her directly Daryl simply spoke. "Carol, If ya ever need someone to help you get out of a bad situation, Me and Davia are here for ya. We can't thank you enough for all you have done for us." He hoped that his statement was cryptic, but that it also would let her know he knew what she was going through. He noticed that she suddenly wiped her eyes of tears that were threatening to fall.

"Thanks Daryl. I appreciate that." Carol replied.

Carol had Daryl sit down (still clothed only in a towel wrapped around his waist) at the kitchen table. Davia looked on noticing that Daryl wouldn't make eye contact with anyone as Carol began to examine his healing abdomen.

"Have you had any pain?" She asked.

"Some burning, and a ton of itching." He replied. Daryl's body tensed considerably as Carol began to run her fingertips across his torso examining his healing wound.

"Looks like you popped a few stitches and put them back together with a butterfly bandage. Good idea." She commented as she ran her hand across the repaired portion of his body.

"Ya" was all he replied.

What happened next was a bit bewildering to both Daryl and Davia. Carol slid Daryl's towel down below his hipbone making both him and Davia feel uncomfortable with her actions. Daryl's eyes grew slightly wide as it seemed that Carol let her hands linger just a little too long on the lower region of his hip…ever so slightly moving her hands towards Daryl's groin area. Carol must have sensed she was making Daryl feel uncomfortable as she quickly pulled her hand away and her face turned a couple of shades of red when she realized what she had done.

"Well everything looks like it is healing well Daryl. You can remove the butterfly bandages in a day or two and I think you will be good. I would pick up some Neosporin and begin applying it each night before you go to bed. Once you get those staples out next week you will be much more comfortable." She said in a rushed voice.

Quickly she picked up her medical kit and told them "I need to go now, I'm running a little late to the hospital. Call me if you notice anything out of the ordinary." She said rushing out of the apartment.

Davia looked at Daryl "What was that all about?"

"Dunno, but I don't think I want her checking me out anymore. I think she is going through some major shit at home with her asshole husband and her mind must of just slipped or something." Daryl said trying to excuse what had just occurred with Carol.

"Yeah, maybe. Why don't you rest up today and just try to get over your hangover." She told him as she went over and kissed him.

"Naw…I don't want to lie around anymore. I feel better since I took a bath, we're gonna go get ya a cell phone today. I'm adding you to my plan, then I'm gonna stop by and see Tyreese and see if there is any paperwork I need to fill out for my Short-term disability. You wanna ride with me?" He asked her.

"I'd love too." She said as she gave him a dazzling smile.

…

They ran errands and then Daryl took Davia out to lunch. As soon as she had gotten the phone the first person she called was Beth to wish her luck with her audition today. Beth had then been given strict instructions by Davia to 'text' her back as soon as she was finished with Dale. Beth promised she would call her back and then told her she had found out some information that morning that she was eager to share.

After they finished lunch Daryl drove them out to the house. Davia could hardly believe that she would be living there soon. There were some deliveries of material that had arrived and were sitting on the porch and a flooring contractor met them there as well. Daryl gave the guy a spare key so he would have access to the house and he and Davia took a walk around. Things were beginning to come around nicely and he and Zach had planned on working on the house Saturday to get it close to the point they could move in. One thing was for sure, and that was they were going to need furniture. Daryl never really cared what the furniture in his previous house was like, and he picked most of it up at either yard sales, Goodwill, and even a few pieces were discarded by the side of the road, but he knew Davia would want something nice.

"Tomorrow we go pick out some furniture. I have a small budget, but as good as you did with getting the materials at a good cost, I think we might be able to stretch the funds a pretty good ways." He told her.

Davia's eyes lit up "Really, you are going to let me help with picking out the furniture?"

"Hell yeah baby, you have good taste and this is gonna be your home too. Just don't want nothing pink and frilly." He teased back.

They headed for the truck to leave and Daryl suddenly had an idea. "Trade places with me…driving lesson's start now. We can use the path to the house as a good place to start." He told her.

She nervously obliged and he instructed her on how to start the truck, hold her hands on the wheel, and all the basics of how the vehicle worked. "All right girl, put the truck in drive and let's go to the end of the path." He told her.

She did as he instructed and couldn't help but smile. "Daryl I'm doing it." She exclaimed.

He had to admit he loved it when she was happy and excited. He talked her through turning the truck in the other direction and they drove back down the path.

They ended up practicing for two hours, ending up with her driving on some of the back roads close to the house. "Why don't you just drive us back to the apartment." He told her.

She listened to his instructions when they encountered traffic and ignored the fact that she was technically driving illegally. It turned out Davia really enjoyed driving and she was kicking herself in the ass for waiting this long to get her driver's license.

"You drive well Davia, and you follow instructions good too." He told her.

"I have a good teacher." She said smiling.

She parked in the parking space, lining the truck up perfectly between the lines on her first try and Daryl knew she wasn't going to have any issues passing the test. They spent the rest of the day eating the pizza Davia ordered for dinner and Daryl quizzing her over and over with the questions in the Driving handbook.

"Honey you are gonna do fine. Why don't we plan on going early Friday morning and getting you that license. You will be more than ready by then." He told her. Sure, she still needed practice and some real situations to deal with such as rain, and heavy traffic, but she certainly had already mastered the basic techniques. He was impressed with how smart Davia actually was. She always put herself down because of her learning disability, but she didn't give herself credit for working around it. This was something he needed to work on with her so she would have the confidence to realize how intelligent she was.

Davia had gotten up off the couch to refresh their drinks when there was knock at the door. It was close to eleven and she was concerned that someone would be coming over so late. She opened it up and Beth flung herself into Davia's arms. "I GOT IT!" She exclaimed, a proud Zach standing behind her.

"Beth that is fantastic! Why haven't I heard from you before now?" Davia asked. Daryl was smiling on the couch as he saw how happy Beth looked. He already felt like Beth was a little sister he never had and he knew exactly the pride that Zach was feeling, it was the same way he felt when Davia performed.

"I haven't had a chance. Dale heard me sing then he hired me on the spot. I had to fill out a bunch of paperwork and then he had me start tonight. I actually sang two sets and made eight hundred bucks. Davia I love it. I forgot how good it felt to perform in front of a live audience." She said.

Davia gave Beth a huge hug. One thing Beth had going for her was that she wrote her own songs and performed them, both on the Piano and with a guitar. This was a great opportunity for her and Davia couldn't have been happier to now have Beth as a co-worker.

The two girls continued to chat about schedules and performing together while Zach and Daryl sat on the couch watching their women. "Good to see them happy." Zach told Daryl.

"Yup. We still on for Saturday?" Daryl asked.

"Why don't we bring the girls along and make a day of it. I'm sure they would love nothing better than painting and decorating. Chick's dig that stuff." Zach said.

"When did you become an expert on 'chick's'?" Daryl teased the younger man.

"You live you learn. Anyhow I know Bethy and she would love to help. Once you guys move in you need to throw a big ass party. I'll supply the keg." Zach told Daryl, causing Daryl to laugh out loud.

"Ohhh…" Beth said getting everyone's attention.

"What is it Beth?" Davia asked.

"I found out this morning at the Diner that Rick left Lori. He came home the other night and caught Shane and Lori in the act. Apparently someone had tipped him off that something was going on, so he came home from his shift early and caught them going at it in HIS bed. He beat the shit out of Shane then took Carl and left. He's staying at the Inn down on Main Street."

Daryl felt bad for Rick. He was a class act and didn't deserve to have his life turned upside down like this. "What about the baby?" Daryl asked.

"I'm not sure. My guess is they will need a DNA test when it is born to determine whom the father is. You know Rick and Shane have been best friends since grade school. You know this has gotta hurt." Beth replied.

"Poor Rick. Lori has always been a selfish bitch, and she NEVER thought about anyone else's feelings but her own. She made my life hell in high school." Davia said.

"Really, I knew there was tension between the two of you, but I didn't realize it went back that far. What happened?" Beth asked.

Daryl interrupted knowing Davia didn't want to share the details of what had happened years ago. "Long Story Beth and Davia most likely doesn't want to re-hash all that bullshit." Daryl said. He didn't know Lori, but he knew what she had done to Davia, and he was glad that Rick at least kicked her to the curb. He hoped Rick had the shit beat out of Shane. Daryl hated the arrogant prick, especially after finding out he was trying to make a play for Davia as well.

Davia then spoke "Well I hate that Rick has all his private business spread all over town, but I am Glad he found out now and not five years down the road." Davia said sighing. Rick was such a good guy and he had been so good to her and Daryl during the ordeal with Merle. She wished there were something she could do.

Zach spoke "Look, why don't we have him and the kid over to a BBQ when you get the house ready. Give 'em something to focus on besides the drama at home."

Daryl spoke "That's not a bad idea kid. I know I promised Dale and Irma I would have them over when everything is done too. A BBQ is a good idea, and we can invite your family Beth, a few guys I work with, Carol and her daughter…"

"Are you sure you want to invite her Daryl? You know with her work schedule, and then her husband would probably want to come along…" Davia said, hoping he would read her meaning. Carol was a nice lady, but Davia didn't fully trust her intentions. She suspected that Carol's home life was in such a shambles that she was beginning to look at Daryl as her savior.

"We'll see." He responded.

…

The rest of the week was a whirlwind. Daryl was getting stronger each day and his abdomen was healing up nicely. Carol's suggestion of putting Neosporin on it each night seemed to be working well and the itching had become almost non-existent.

Daryl and Davia had gone furniture shopping at an outlet in Dalton and Davia had worked out quite a deal. Daryl had five grand set aside for furnishings, but Davia revealed she had a sizeable savings account that she was more than willing to kick in since it was going to be "their" home. Daryl found out that Davia was quite a saver and that she would often pull in fifteen hundred to two thousand dollars a week performing at Dale's. Basically she would make five hundred bucks a performance, which was a huge sum of money to someone like Daryl. He made good money doing what he did as an electrician, but it had taken a lot of work and he didn't make anything close to what Davia did. Of course, she was considered self-employed and had to file and pay her own taxes and pay for her health benefits, but she still made a good sum of money. Everything she made outside of performing at Dale's she stuck into a "Fun Fund" as she called it, and apparently she had yet to have fun. There was a sum of seven thousand dollars sitting in it and she used that money to go towards the house.

Davia passed her driving test with flying colors and she now was going on and on to Daryl about what type of vehicle she wanted. They had determined because of Blue Ridge's winter weather and because they lived a good ways down an unpaved path that she would be best getting either a truck or an SUV. So much for the dreams of the BMW she had wanted. Honestly, since meeting Daryl the girl that longed for the 'fancy things' in life had gone away and now she wanted to be a practical woman, just like Daryl.

Daryl was feeling good enough to go to Davia's performance that night and she was excited that he would be there with her. She had spent the day searching for the perfect song to sing to him, and had found one that she thought suited both of them and she couldn't wait to sing it to him. The best part was that her and Beth were going to sing a duet that night as well. It was one that Hershel had requested and he was even bringing Annette out to Dale's for the performance.

Surprisingly, Will Dixon and his wife were still in town. Beth had called to tell Davia that her parent's had invited Will and Jacqui over for dinner. It had pissed Beth off that her father was so quick to overlook Will's misdeeds and she left the house before Will had even showed up. Davia had divulged some of the horrific things Will had done to Daryl when he was younger, and it angered Beth that someone as nice as Daryl had to suffer so much pain so early on in his life. The one thing Beth hadn't heard anymore about was what Daryl was going to do about finding his mother.

In fact, the subject of Daryl's mother hadn't been discussed once since Davia had brought home a drunk Daryl earlier in the week. The box of her belongings was sitting in their closet…untouched. Davia opted not to push Daryl, deciding to let him take point on how he wanted to go about handling the subject.

…

They left for the bar around seven that night as Beth was going to perform at eight, followed up by Davia at nine. Daryl had thrown on a blue button up shirt that Davia had picked out for him and his boots and jeans. There was a ruggedly handsome aspect to Daryl that attracted the ladies, and everything about him drove Davia wild. Each night their make-out sessions were becoming more and more intense and Davia was feeling sexual frustration like she had never thought possible. She had two more weeks before her pills were fully effective, but to be honest, she wasn't sure if she could make it that long. However, Daryl was still under strict Doctor's orders to refrain from "any and all sexual activity" until he was given the all clear. She knew he was struggling with holding back as well.

The bar was packed when they arrived and when people spotted Daryl it was like the Messiah had returned. Numerous people were telling him how glad they were to see he was healing up, and offered their condolences regarding Merle. Daryl wasn't comfortable with the extra attention, but he gritted his teeth and accepted it. They found a table close to the stage and were surprised to see Hershel, Annette, Maggie, Glenn, and Zach had already been seated and have saved a spot for Daryl, Davia, and of course Beth.

Beth's performance was sweet and perky, just like Beth herself. Beth knew how to work a crowd, and Davia couldn't get over what a natural performer she was. Even Daryl had a smile on his face when Beth performed. Zach was beaming like a proud boyfriend and even got a few pats on the back from Hershel.

When Beth finished and returned to the table everyone got up and gave her a hug, including Daryl. Being with Davia had allowed him to let some of his walls down and he would now willingly show some emotion towards others. Not a lot, but enough that people knew how he felt.

Davia took the stage and Daryl thought she looked dazzling. She had worn a pair of white jeans with a black silk top that was low cut and off the shoulder. She had her hair up tonight and had smoky eyes after her make-up application, and of course her silver hoop earrings and a silver choker. She looked sensual and sexy and Daryl was afraid she would realize just how gorgeous she was and dump his redneck ass any moment.

Davia started off her set with a duet with one of the male members of the band…it was that good-looking guy again. Daryl couldn't remember his name, but he tried like hell to keep his jealousy down to a minimum. They sang the Christina Aguilera/Blake Shelton song "Just a fool" and it got the crowd going. It still amazed Daryl how someone as insecure as Davia could go up there and own the stage like she did. This was a talented and confident Davia, and she turned him on to no end.

She performed a few other songs, and then she sat down on a barstool and reached for a guitar. Daryl had heard her play the piano, but he had not heard her play a guitar. Before she sat down to perform, she looked at him and mouthed the words "This is about us"

The song she had chosen was a Three Door's down tune called "It's the only one you've got" and she began to play.

_**How do you know where you're going**_

_**When you don't know where you've been**_

_**You hide the shame that you're not showing**_

_**And you won't let anyone in**_

_**A crowded street can be a quiet place**_

When you're walking alone

_**And now you think that you're the only**_

_**One who doesn't**_

_**Have to try**_

_**And you won't have to fail**_

_**If you're afraid to fly**_

_**Then i guess you never will**_

_**You hide behind your walls**_

_**Of maybe nevers**_

_**Forgetting that there's something more**_

_**Than just knowing better**_

_**Your mistakes do not define you now**_

_**They tell you who you're not**_

_**You've got to live this life you're given**_

_**Like it's the only one you've got**_

_**Memories have left you broken**_

_**And the scars have never healed**_

_**The emptiness in you is growing**_

_**But so little left to fill**_

_**You're scared to look back on the days before**_

_**You're too tired to move on**_

_**And now you think that you're the only one who doesn't**_

_**[Chorus]**_

_**What would it take**_

_**To get you to say that I'll try**_

_**And what would you say if**_

_**This was the last day of your life**_

_**You hide behind your walls**_

_**Of maybe nevers**_

_**Forgetting that there's something more**_

_**Than just knowing better**_

_**Your mistakes do not define you now**_

_**They tell you who you're not**_

_**You've got to live this life you're given**_

_**Like it's the only one you've got**_

_**You hide behind your walls**_

_**Of maybe nevers**_

_**Forgetting that there's something more**_

_**Than just knowing better**_

_**Your mistakes do not define you now**_

_**They tell you who you're not**_

_**You've got to live this life you're given**_

_**Like it's the only one you've got**_

When she finished she stood up and set the guitar down. She looked down at Daryl, and he nodded back at her. She had just sung something that touched him so deeply he wasn't even able to speak. Both of them were so different now that they had each other, but they both needed to let go of their past. Daryl had a feeling deep down in his gut that he needed to make some sort of amends with his father. How was he going to do that? He didn't know, but he knew if he was ever going to be able to let go of his past, he was going to need to face it head on.

…

Davia finished up singing "The Parting Glass" with Beth and then both girls came off the stage to join the Greene Family. The night was exhilarating and everyone was having a good time. Even Daryl was laughing and cutting up with Zach and Glenn. It felt good to enjoy life again.

Daryl was working on his third beer when someone came over and tapped him on the shoulder. It was a guy named Bob who worked security on the weekends at the Bar. "Mr. Dixon, there is someone at the front who is asking for you. You may need to come quickly." He said.

Daryl was confused as to who would be asking for him at the bar, but he got up to check it out. Davia opted to go with him and when they got to the front entrance they found a beaten and battered Carol standing out there, a young little blonde girl clinging to her leg.

Davia spoke first "Carol, what happened?"

Between sobs she managed to get out "My husband…he found out I didn't go straight to work the other day and he wasn't happy. Daryl I think he is going to try to make things bad for you." She said as she began to collapse. Quickly Daryl grabbed Carol to keep her from hitting the ground and Davia took the little girl into her arms, doing her best to shelter the child from the battered mess that was now Carol.

Bob, who was an EMT in his off-hours quickly called 9-1-1 and immediately began to administer first aid to Carol. She was crying and moaning in pain and it was obvious that her husband had done a number on her. Daryl was trying his hardest to calm her down as she began to hyperventilate. "Shhh Carol just take some deep breaths OK. They are gonna take you to the hospital and get ya patched up." He told her.

This was a fucking mess. First of all, what were they going to do with the little girl? She was probably about ten or eleven and if someone didn't take her she would either end up back with her asshole dad or social services would kick in and take her. His slight panic was eased when he heard a familiar voice. Rick Grimes.

"Sophia honey, what happened to your mom?" He asked the crying little girl.

"Mr. Grimes, Daddy hit her over and over and called her a whore. He was drunk again." Sophia said as tears were slipping down the little girl's cheeks.

Davia continued to hold the young girls hand…being all too familiar with being ripped away from your family and being thrust into the nightmare of social services.

Rick continued to ask the girl questions as they brought Carol to the hospital. Daryl turned to Davia "Should we go with her?"

"We can go and check on her, but I think that is about it Daryl. Don't get this wrong, but I think she is starting to turn to you in some weird attempt to get you to take the role of the 'man in her life'. I'm not at all comfortable with this, but it would appear she doesn't really have anyone else."

Rick confirmed Davia's suspicions about Carol not having any other family or friends in the area. Ed had ostracized Carol from everyone in the community, and other than her job, she really didn't spend any time with anyone outside the home. Whenever she tried, Ed would punish her. Rick told them he would take Sophia until Carol was on her feet again, but that this wasn't the first time it had happened. Each time it would happen in the past, Carol would end up refusing to press charges against Ed, which made it impossible for Rick to arrest the sadistic bastard. It was a classic case of an abused spouse, and it saddened both Daryl and Davia, but Carol couldn't continue to try to rely on Daryl to fight her battles. It wasn't fair to either of them and it wasn't fair to Davia either.

…

They arrived home around three in the morning and they were both worn out and exhausted. How such a good night could turn to shit was beyond both of them, but at least this time they weren't directly involved. Carol's predicament was bad, but it wasn't their battle to fight.

Davia surprised Daryl when she stripped off her clothes in front of him, not trying to conceal herself like she normally did. If he wasn't so damn exhausted he probably would have had an instant hard-on, but damn his body was weary. He stripped down to his boxers and dropped his clothes on the floor, just like Davia had done. He knew just how tired she was when she made no attempt to pick up the clothes and throw them in the washer immediately. To be honest, he wished Davia were a little less obsessed with keeping everything so perfect.

Davia molded her body into Daryl's chest. His wounds weren't bothering him near as much now and he relaxed as he felt her warm backside up against him. As he held her he cleared his throat "You know, you were really good with the little girl tonight, where did you learn to handle kids like that?"

"I never learned, I just remember what it was like to be in her situation and what always made me feel a little better. She's lucky she has a place to stay with Rick and Carl. It sucks to be in her situation, and I think both of us have some idea what it is like." Davia told him.

"I made a decision tonight after you finished singing that song. I am going to attempt to try to have some sort of relationship with my father, but I ain't cutting him any slack. I'm also gonna try to find my momma and I'm gonna need your help. I got a lot to do tomorrow with the house, but Sunday I was hoping you could help me go through the letters and see if we can find some clues. Are you willing to help me?" He asked.

"Daryl I will do anything you need me too. I will help you find your mother and hopefully give you some sense of peace. Baby, you deserve some happiness for once in your life."

"I ain't gonna lie Davia, it scares me. It scares me that after everything that happened with my Pa I still want to have some connection to him, and it scares me that I don't know what I'm going to find if I do find my momma. What if she's dead?" He asked.

"Daryl, I wish I could tell you everything was going to be OK, but I can't. I don't want to get your hopes up only to have them smashed in a billion pieces. All I can do is promise you that you won't have to do any of this by yourself…I will be there with you every step of the way. I love you Daryl Dixon and we will find the answers that we need." She said as she drifted off to sleep.

Daryl knew Davia was right. He may not get the answers he wanted, but at least he would have some answer. He wasn't even sure he would even recognize his mother after all these years, but he knew if she was still alive that she could answer questions regarding what had happened all those years ago. There had to be a reason that the letters stopped so abruptly, and Daryl was going to attempt to find out why.

**OK...I knew what I wanted to happen in this chapter, but I struggled putting it into words. I apologize for anything stupid.**

**Please let me know what you think. Some of you have left me some REALLY good ideas and I appreciate each and everyone of them. IT's Ok if you want to leave constructive criticism. **

**Leave your Review's...I am so excited about the return of Beth tonight on TWD. Also, I am not 100% sure I am going to take Carol to crazy town in this story. She does have a little crush on Daryl, but it's out of desperation and loneliness. I haven't decided how far I am going to let it go...Daryl already has a lot of Drama coming in future chapters with finding his mom, trying to start a relationship with his father, and well...we haven't heard the last of Merle...I will leave it at that. **

**ALso, I am going to bring the Rick/Daryl dynamic into this story..I just need to work it in.**

**Thanks Y'all for all of your awesomeness!**

**Love ya-**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	13. Chapter 13

Saturday was a busy day for Daryl and Davia. Daryl let Davia drive over to the house and they met Zach and Beth there just after eight in the morning. The house still didn't have power yet, as it hadn't been approved for occupancy. Zach had picked up a generator from his father's business and that would allow them to use some of the power tools they needed and to see if the Well Pump was in good working order.

Beth and Davia threw a tarp over the new kitchen floor and spent the morning painting the kitchen Wedgwood blue and then trimming it out in white. They spent another hour cleaning the windows and finished just in time for the Home improvement store to deliver the kitchen appliances.

Daryl took over in the kitchen making sure that everything was hooked up to his specifications. Being an electrician he was particular how each appliance was connected and to what outlet it ran too. Before he was injured he had managed to re-wire the kitchen up to modern safety codes. Daryl might have been a country boy, be he was particular about just how he wanted the house to be, and if there was anything he wasn't pleased with, he would be sure to push back.

After Daryl was done with making sure everything was good in the kitchen he and Zach were upstairs working on the plumbing in the bathroom. The house was old and Daryl had concerns regarding the durability of the old plumbing pipes. Zach went outside the house, below the bathroom and listened for Daryl to give him the signal as to when to throw on the switch that would turn on the pump and allow the water to make it's way into the plumbing system in the house. It had probably been at least ten years since the water had flowed through any of the pipes.

"Flip it on." Daryl hollered to Zach below.

Zach did as he was instructed and you could hear the pipes creaking as the water pressure began to build and then flow through the old conduits. Suddenly there was a burst of air through the sink in the bathroom and then old rusty water began to rush through the faucet. Daryl smiled briefly before he heard something give way and the pipe underneath the sink burst, spraying water everywhere and quickly flooding the bathroom.

"Shut it off NOW" Daryl yelled as Zach quickly turned off the breaker hearing the urgency in Daryl's voice. He knew something had gone very wrong.

A stream of profanities filled the house and Beth and Davia quickly ran upstairs to find a soaking wet Daryl kicking the bathroom cabinet.

"God Damn pipes are shot, we're gonna have to replace every fucking last one of them." He said voicing his frustration. "God damn plumber is going to cost me out the ass." He grumbled.

Zach joined the frazzled crew within a few minutes and helped Daryl assess the damage. "I know a few plumbers, but they ain't cheap Daryl. You know anyone?" Zach asked him.

"I actually do, but I don't know if I want to go down that road." Daryl said.

"Who is it?" Davia asked, curious.

"My dad. He was a plumber at one time before I was born. He might have been a fucking drunk, but he managed to keep the piece of shit plumbing in our fucked up house running." Daryl stated.

"Daryl you can't be serious after everything he did to you." Beth said.

"Look, I don't need to explain it to ya Beth. He said he wants us to start over, and I've decided to give him a chance. I ain't discussing it anymore. I appreciate your concern but it's my decision." Daryl said, slightly peeved.

Before Davia could intervene Daryl left the bathroom and headed out to his truck to grab a cigarette. He was angry and frustrated, and a part of him hated the fact that Will was the best option at this point.

Meanwhile Beth turned to Davia "I'm sorry Davia, I didn't mean to upset him. I'm going to talk to him and apologize." Beth then also left the bathroom.

"Wait, Beth…"Zach said as Davia grabbed his arm.

"Let her go Zach, Daryl won't bite her." Davia told the younger man.

"What are your thoughts about it?" Zach asked her.

"I worry about Daryl, but he's a grown man and I can't control him. His father seems to have genuinely changed, but it doesn't make up for what he did to Daryl. Maybe Daryl can put away some of the past if he starts over with him. All I can do is be there for him and support his decisions." Davia said sighing.

"I think you're right. Beth just wants to save everyone, and she hates it when people hurt. It's one of the things I like best about her." Zach admitted to Davia.

"She is truly one of the sweetest person's I have ever met. You have yourself a very special lady Zach and I hope you never forget it."

"Trust me, I won't."

…

Daryl was smoking his second cigarette when Beth approached him. "Hey Daryl, I'm sorry if I upset you. It wasn't my intention." She said sweetly.

Daryl just nodded at her, leaving an uncomfortable silence between the two of them.

"Please Daryl, don't make it awkward between us. You and Davia mean the world too me and I just don't want you to get hurt. It's no secret in this town what you had to endure at the hands of your father, and I care too much about you to want anything to get to you like he did once before. Please forgive me." Beth said as she rushed over to Daryl and grabbed him into a hug. It wasn't lost on her how his body immediately tensed up as she wrapped her arms around him, but she felt him finally relax.

Daryl patted her on the back and then pulled away "Ain't no reason to get all sappy. Just something I gotta work through and there ain't no reason for anyone else to get upset. I can take care of myself." He told the younger girl.

"Well I just want you to know, you don't have to do anything alone anymore if you don't want to Daryl. We are all here for you. Now let's get back in the house and figure out what needs to be done next." Beth said, giving him a sweet smile.

…

Daryl and Zach were upstairs fixing the water damage in the bathroom when they heard squealing coming downstairs where the girls were working. They both rushed downstairs to see Beth clutching the phone and Davia jumping up and down with excitement with the radio blaring in the background.

"What the fuck is going on?" Daryl asked, concerned.

"Beth just won four tickets to go see the Foo Fighter's in Atlanta." Davia exclaimed.

"Cool as fuck man." Zach said, now sharing in the girl's excitement.

"We get a hotel stay and a limo ride to the concert." Beth told them.

"Ain't never been to a concert." Daryl mumbled.

"You'll love it" Davia told him excitedly "And it's the Foo Fighter's for God's sake." She said which sent her and Beth into a fit of squeals once again.

"Damn women…I don't think I'm ever gonna understand them." Daryl said amused.

"Makes two of us bro." Zach replied laughing.

They finished up for the day at the house and had decided that after Davia and Beth performed that night at the bar they would move things over to the apartment, and Beth and Zach would stay for the night on the pullout couch.

As Davia was driving Daryl back to town she asked him "You OK?"

"Ya…it just seems weird to be able to pick up the phone to call my old man." He told her.

"You don't have too Daryl, but I understand if you feel like you need too." She told him.

"Thanks." He told her.

…

After the girls' performance that night they got back to Davia's apartment to find a single red rose in a vase sitting in front of the door. "Oh Daryl, this is so sweet." She told him as she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Ain't from me." He told her. Zach gave Daryl a look that let him know he wasn't pleased with the possibilities of someone pursuing Davia.

They went into the apartment and Davia read the card "_**My little songbird…I've never forgotten you"**_

Davia dropped the vase when she read the card.

"What is it?" Beth said.

"Only one person ever called me that…and I hate him." Davia replied getting visibly paler.

"Who?" Daryl asked gruffly.

"Him…the one from high school that was friends with Lori. Mitch Dolgen…he used to call me that 'after' what happened. Of course, he was mocking me…"

"What are you talking about Davia?" Beth asked, concerned for her friend's quick change in demeanor.

Davia sighed and looked at Daryl. "I need to tell them" was all she said. Daryl grabbed her hand as she sat down on the couch, as Beth and Zach sat down on the loveseat.

"Can I get a drink first?" She asked.

"You sure you wanna go down that path?" Daryl asked.

"Yeah, I am. I know you've got some moonshine stashed in the closet Daryl. Let's start with that…I feel like getting drunk tonight." She said.

Daryl mumbled something about the "list" that neither Beth nor Zach understood, but he got up and came back with a couple of jars of his private stash.

Daryl poured her a drink, and offered some to Beth and Zach. Beth opted to stick with her wine she had brought, but Zach was more than willing to enjoy some of the shine that Daryl was offering.

"Take it easy with this, you ain't really ever drank much and this stuff is strong. Just be prepared." He told her.

She accepted the glass Daryl offered her and quickly took a slug of the clear liquid. It burned like hell going down but it didn't taste that bad. She could feel it hit her belly and felt the warmth envelop her body. There was a hint of strawberry that actually made the drink taste pleasant. Her face, however, gave away the fact that she wasn't used to drinking.

"Where's my camera?" Beth said as she fumbled in her purse for her phone. Everyone let out a laugh as they watched Davia drink the moonshine.

"This is good Shit Dixon." Zach replied.

"Yeah, I ain't gonna bother with anything else." He told 'em.

After a few sips Davia could feel herself relaxing and it felt like the weight of the world was leaving her…and she began to talk.

"OK, so when I was in High School I didn't do well at anything, other than sing. So of course, I naturally gravitated towards the Drama club and chorus. We were doing the play "Evita" and I got the lead role against none other than Lori. She hated me, but said she wanted to make amends, so she invited me to a cast party about a week before the play. She introduced me to this guy Mitch, who was on the football team and he acted like he liked me…one thing led to another and we ended up in her parent's bedroom making out, but things went fuzzy. I think he slipped me one of those date rape drugs or something. Anyhow, I woke up and it was painfully obvious what he had done to me. After that I tried to check out permanently, withdrew from the play, and ended up in a mental health facility. Beth, I think you remember that time but you were only about ten or so when it happened." Davia told them.

Silence. Normally Beth would have been the first person to go over to comfort Davia, but to everyone's surprise Zach got up and embraced the girl "Davia, no one deserves that to happen to them, especially you. You represent everything good in a person, and I hope you pressed charges against the asshole." He said in earnest.

"I couldn't, " she said fighting back tears. "They had it recorded and there wasn't any way to prove it was without my consent." She told them.

Zach released Davia and she fell into Daryl's arms. "Fix me another." She asked and he obliged. "OK, let's get happy again y'all. I don't want to be a downer." She said.

"I ain't never heard of the guy before, and I've lived here my entire life, why is that?" He asked.

"He grew up outside of Blue Ridge, but his parents put him in school for football. After graduation I heard he went into a military career, I'm not really sure why he is back or why he would attempt to contact me." Davia said.

"Fucking Lori Grimes is my guess. Bet she is pissed at ya after what happened the other night, and I bet she blames you for Rick catching her. She probably contacted the bastard and told him you were available. I know one thing, I see the bastard and I'm gonna beat his ass into next week. Shane and Lori are gonna get an earful from me too." Daryl threatened.

"Please can we drop it and enjoy the night." Davia said as she slipped a kiss onto Daryl's neck. He backed down, but his face was stone cold. He was not happy at all about this guy fucking with Davia's head.

As the night passed on Davia managed to get pretty drunk. She giggled and became much less inhibited than usual. She was becoming quite affectionate with Daryl in front of Beth and Zach and Beth was the one who suggested they play "Truth or Dare."

"Aw come on…Really? I'm thirty-six years old and I don't need to play that shit." Daryl said.

"Daryl Dixon, just relax and have fun." Davia told him. He couldn't turn her down.

"Fine" he replied.

"OK, I'll go first." Beth said.

"Daryl, since you were the one complaining, I'm picking on you first. Truth or Dare?"

"Truth." He said.

"OK, how old were you when you lost your virginity?" She asked.

"Sixteen. Does that mean I go next?" He asked.

"Yep." Beth replied.

"OK Beth, Truth or Dare?" He asked.

"Dare." She said boldly.

Daryl thought for a minute and decided he was going to have fun with this, and help his buddy Zach out too. "Why don't you give Zach a lap dance in front of all of us." He said.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Zach exclaimed.

Beth blushed, but before she could chicken out she went over to Zach and straddled him boldly. "I need music." She said.

Davia turned on the stereo and Beth proceeded to grind on Zach's lap. His smile was so big Daryl thought his face was going to split. When the song finished Beth removed herself from Zach's lap, his erection not hidden from anyone.

"Gotta learn some self control their boy." Daryl said.

"I get to go again." Beth said. She was going to get Daryl back.

"Davia, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare." She said giggling.

"Take off Daryl's pants with your teeth." Beth replied.

"Hey wait, it's her Dare…not mine." He said.

"Just like it was my Dare, not Zach's." Beth retorted.

"It's OK, I got it." Davia said. She stood up and stumbled a little as Daryl caught her and she dropped down to her knees in between Daryl's legs.

"I hope your wearing boxers." She said to Daryl, who was turning red.

"Go on, let's see you do this Darling." Daryl replied.

Davia put her hands on Daryl's knees and took his buttonhole into her mouth, easily unbuttoning the top button. She then bit onto his zipper and slowly slid it down. Daryl let out an audible groan as she smiled up at him from between his legs seductively. He wondered if her and Beth had planned this out.

Davia continued her assignment, pulling down one side a little, and then working the other side of his jeans slowly. It didn't take long before he was clad in his boxers with his jeans pooled around his feet.

"OK, that's good enough." Zach said. Davia quickly helped Daryl get his jeans on just like Zach, but he now had an obvious erection as well.

Beth teased "Gotta learn to control yourself boy…"

Daryl grumbled as they all broke out into a fit of laughter. There was no doubt they were all having a great time.

Around three in the morning Daryl helped a very drunk Davia up off the couch to take her to bed. "Hold on one sec…you need to drink a big glass of ice water, it will help with the hangover in the morning."

"But if I do that then I will have to pee." She said, slurring out the word 'pee'…

"Trust me, that's gonna be the least of your problems Ms. Davia." He said to her. He actually liked how forward the alcohol made Davia. If she hadn't been drinking he knew there was no way in hell she would have done what she did with her mouth in front of everyone. He began to wonder just what else she could do with that mouth of hers.

…

Across town while the four friends were enjoying themselves, Rick Grimes was at the hospital with Carol. She had a fractured wrist and a concussion, along with numerous lacerations and bruises. He had known for a long time what Ed did to his wife, but was unable to do anything about it unless Carol was willing to press charges.

"Carol, please…I'm imploring you, you have to press charges this time. It's not safe for you or Sophia."

"Rick, I have no where to go, no family, nothing. I can't afford to live on my own with what I make." She told him.

"But you're a nurse, you should be taking in good money." He told her.

"I was, but Ed got into tax trouble and they are garnishing my wages since we were married at the time. Over half of my check goes to health insurance and the IRS. He at least helps with Sophia." She said trying to justify why she stayed with him.

"Yeah, I have some concerns about that as well…do you think he could be taking inappropriate actions with her? She said something about him touching her when you were at work. Carol, I could start an investigation."

"No please…don't do that. I don't want to put her through that. I will press charges, but I don't have anywhere to go." She pleaded.

"Carol, look…we work opposite schedules. Monday I'm closing on a new house, I guess you have heard by now what happened with Lori and me…and I would like to propose a deal. How about you move in with me, help me with Carl and the house, and then it's a win-win for everyone."

"Really Rick, you would consider that? You don't know me that well." She said.

"Carol, I know you well enough, and I know Sophia and Carl are best friends. I see it as us each helping each other out during a tough time. Please consider it. We can press charges against Ed and get him put away where he can't hurt anyone else."

Carol leaned back against the pillow and sighed. "If I do this, will I be able to collect my belongings without him being there?"

"I will make sure of it, and just to make it even easier, I will be there to help you. So it's a deal?" He asked.

"It's a deal Rick. I don't know how I can ever repay you." She said.

Rick took a look at her face with a relaxed smile and thought to him self "she just did."

…

Around six in the morning Davia made her first trip to the bathroom to throw up. Daryl being the doting partner that he was, accompanied her and held her hair as she heaved with all her might. He knew it was going to happen, and he was prepared to get her through her first hangover.

After an hour of her retching to the point she had the dry heaves, he turned on the shower for her and helped her get in. She felt so bad she didn't even care that he saw her naked, however, not being one to want to take advantage of a bad situation, he turned his head and gave her some privacy.

"Thank you Daryl." She managed to get out. He waited for her to finish then handed her a towel as she slid back the curtain to get out.

"Can you get me some clothes." She said as she stepped out of the shower and began to brush her teeth, trying with all her might not to puke again.

Daryl did as she asked and went to her drawers to get her some pajama bottoms and a T-shirt she could slip on. He was slightly taken back when he began to pilfer through her underwear drawer to get her some panties to wear. He couldn't believe all the sexy panties and bra's she had in the drawer. "Damn, has she been wearing this underneath her clothes all along? Damnit Davia even while you are puking your guts out you still manage to turn me on."

He brought her the clothes and he made his way out into the living room where Zach and Beth were beginning to wake. Daryl had a lot of experience with drinking, and decided that since Davia was drinking in earnest for the first time, he would pace himself so he could keep an eye on her. After seeing her this morning, he was glad he made that decision.

"Morning Daryl. How's Davia?" Beth said as he walked through the living room to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee.

"Rough. Poor girl just spent the last hour hugging the toilet. I'm gonna make a good strong pot of coffee and see if I can find her some saltines. That will help with the nausea." He told them.

Davia dragged herself out into the living room, looking like a disheveled mess. Zach laughed when he saw her. "Damn girl, where's the bus that hit you?"

"Ha Ha…not funny." She groaned.

"The key to getting over a hangover is drink lot's of fluids Davia. The headache is because of dehydration. I know it's probably the last thing you want to do, but for now it's what you gotta do." Beth told her.

Davia sat down on the love seat and Daryl met her with another glass of ice water. She began to drink it greedily, realizing just how thirsty she was.

Zach put on the morning news and the four-some sat around as they waited for the biscuits Daryl was warming up to finish. Davia would moan every time she moved, and Daryl was getting a bit of kick out of it…but he knew how bad she was feeling, considering he was in the same condition a few days earlier after finishing off the fifth of Southern Comfort.

"Never again…I will never drink again." Davia said.

"We've all said that before Davia. Trust me…you say that now, but you won't feel that way in a couple of days, you just learn how to handle it better." Zach told her.

They all laughed again and the laughter was interrupted by Beth's phone ringing.

"Hello." She said.

All the color left Beth's face and she dropped the phone, sobbing.

"Bethy what is it?" Zach said as he quickly grabbed her into his arms.

"Momma and Shaun…they were in an accident last night, they just found the car down in a ravine. They didn't make it." And with that last statement, Beth collapsed as her world had just been ripped away from her.

No one knew what to say or do. How do you handle the news that your mother and brother that you saw the previous night were now gone…Forever?

**First of all...if you check out the reviews I received, I got a nasty "flame" from someone...I left a response, so if you want to read a little drama, it's there for you to see. **

**This was kind of filler chapter, I have a lot that has to happen, but I want to build up the story to get to that point. Next chapter we will deal with Beth, Daryl and Will, and the early stages of the sexual relationship with Davia and Daryl. Also, we are going to find out some things about Daryl's mother...I think when you hear what is in the letters you will understand some of what may or may not have happened. But that's because we have all seen the show and a very important character in the show is going to be introduced.**

**It's walking Dead time y'all so have a great night!**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	14. Chapter 14

**A bit of a quicker update...**

Beth was recovering from her fainting spell and Davia was by her side, holding the girl tight. Daryl had got up to get Beth a glass of water and a frazzled Zach was in the process of calling Maggie.

Maggie answered the phone and Zach could tell that Beth's older sister wasn't doing much better.

"Hey Mags…Is Glenn with you?" Zach asked.

Maggie handed the phone to Glenn, who was obviously doing better than his new bride "Hello."

"Glenn, where are you guys?" Zach asked.

"We are at the scene of the accident. They are trying to get the car out of the ravine, Shaun and Annette are still inside." Glenn said sadly.

"Who all is with you?" Zach asked.

"Hershel, Maggie, and a good portion of the Blue Ridge fire department. Officer Grimes is here too. How's Beth?"

"Not too good. She fainted after getting the call from Hershel. Where should we go right now?" Zach asked.

"I think Maggie and Hershel could use Beth here with them right now. Is she up to it?" Glenn asked.

"We'll be there shortly." Zach said, after getting the information as to where they were.

Even though Zach was only Beth's boyfriend, the Greene family was like his own extended family. He and Beth had been together for four years and Annette and Hershel treated Zach like he was one of their own. Annette was kind and loving and Hershel had offered Zach good advice when he needed it. Shaun and Zach were the same age and it was through Shaun that Zach met Beth. There were times when Zach didn't get along with his own father and Hershel had been there for support. Losing Annette and Shaun cut him deeply, but he knew Beth's relationship with her family went much deeper…deeper than most.

Daryl was visibly upset about everything that just happened, but he was way out of his comfort zone on what to do. "I'll get the truck and take y'all to the accident scene." He told them. Zach nodded in appreciation and the four of them got in Daryl's truck, with Zach and Davia consoling Beth in the extended cab while Daryl drove them to the ravine.

When they arrived they had a winch and were slowly pulling the car up from the bottom of the massive drop-off. The plunge had been more than four hundred feet and as the car made it back to the top of the ravine it was obvious that no one could have survived the accident. A tarp had been placed over the car, keeping any onlookers from seeing the carnage inside. Hershel insisted that they let him see his wife and stepson before they removed the bodies.

Hershel tried to keep it together, but when he saw the bodies he collapsed to his knees, his grief overwhelming him. Beth and Maggie quickly ran to their father to support him, but it was hard to tell just who was supporting whom.

Davia and Zach made their way to Glenn who looked like he was barely holding on himself. Daryl opted to take a closer look at the car and was met by Rick who was also examining the wrecked vehicle. Daryl noted there was blue paint along the front passenger side bumper and pointed it out to Rick.

"Something ain't right here Rick. It looks like the car came in contact with another vehicle." Daryl told him pointing to the blue paint.

Rick nodded and stooped down to take a closer look. "Based on where this is, It looks like someone crossed over the center line and forced the car to the left and then momentum pushed it over the cliff. You can see where it broke through the guardrail. I also noticed there is part of a headlight over there on the side of the road, with traces of blue paint and obviously not part of the Greene's car."

"Drunk driver?" Daryl asked.

"Possibly. Your pretty observant Daryl, you ever consider becoming a cop?" Rick asked.

"Naw they don't usually hire guys like me for jobs like that. Reckon I'm destined to be an electrician for the rest of my life." Daryl said, slightly amused at Rick's comment.

"Daryl that's not true. You seem to have a knack and a good demeanor for this type of stuff. Why don't you call me tomorrow and we can talk about it." Rick said.

Daryl looked at Rick like he had grown a second head "Yeah, I'll do that." He said. Not really knowing what came over him, Daryl asked Rick another question "How's Carol?"

"She's doing better, I still have Sophia with Carl and I, but she has agreed to press charges. Her and I came up with a mutual agreement and she and Sophia will be staying with Carl and me for a while." Rick told him.

A sudden sense of relief flooded Daryl as Rick told him the news. Carol would be taken care of, and it looked like she would be able to rely on Rick now to help her out. Not that Daryl minded helping Carol, but she just made it awkward with Davia and him.

"That's good to hear. Hope they throw the bastard in jail for a long time. Any man that would do that to his wife and kids deserves to rot." Daryl said, recalling once again his past with his own father.

Rick nodded in agreement. "We will do everything we can to put him away for a long time. I'm just glad Carol is safe for now."

…

Daryl and Davia stayed with Beth and Zach for most of the morning. They brought them back to the Greene farm and Daryl assured Zach that he and Davia would bring his car by as soon as they got back to the apartment.

After they returned Zach's car, Davia and Daryl went back to the apartment and Davia opted to lie down. Her hangover was kicking her ass and Daryl felt bad for her. He doubted she would want to drink anytime soon after last night's escapades.

Daryl found himself alone with his thoughts. So much had happened over the past few months he didn't know how he hadn't lost his mind. Then he thought "Davia…she's kept me sane." Daryl liked the idea that he didn't have to go through all of his turmoil alone anymore. To be honest, he never wanted to be alone again, and he wanted Davia with him for all of eternity. He wanted to make her his wife. But how could he rationalize marrying someone he had known for such a short time. Hell, he was surprised he could even imagine getting married after witnessing the disaster that was his parent's marriage. He needed someone to talk too, and he considered Zach, but right now Zach was preoccupied with keeping Beth together after losing half her family. He wondered whom else he could talk too, and one name kept popping in his head…Rick.

Daryl didn't know Rick that well, but what he did know of the man he appreciated. Rick seemed to always have a level head, and the few times that Daryl had dealt with him when Merle was in trouble Rick was fair. Nothing like his asshole partner, Shane. Shane had committed the ultimate breach in any friendship, and that was fucking your best friend's wife. However, most of the people Daryl had been exposed too in his life were a lot more like Shane than Rick. It was one of the reasons why Daryl struggled trusting people.

Daryl picked up his cell phone and decided he would call his father. His hands shook a little as he made the call with part of him hoping his father didn't answer. Daryl truly needed his father's help at the moment, and if Daryl were going to establish some type of relationship with the old man, then maybe this would be a good start.

"Hello" he heard his father's voice on the other end of the line.

"Do you think you can help me with something? How much longer are you in town?" was Daryl's response, no pleasantries included.

"A few more days. What's up son?" Will replied.

"I need help with some plumbing issues at my house, was hoping you still knew what you were doing when it came to fixing old pipes." Daryl stated.

"Sure son, where and when?" Will asked.

"Tomorrow morning around eight, it's the old Homestead off of Apple Orchard Rd. You know where I'm talking about?" Daryl asked.

"Irma Horvath's old family home?" He inquired.

"Yeah, can you be there?" Daryl asked.

"Sure thing, but I don't have any tools with me, do you have anything I can use?"

"I got plenty of tools, I just suck at plumbing and I can't afford to hire anyone right now." Daryl told him.

"I'll see you in the morning." Will told him.

Daryl hung up the phone and let out a breath he had been holding. He soon heard water running and Davia singing. She must be feeling a little better after her shower. Shortly thereafter she walked out into the living room looking a lot better than she had earlier.

"I feel human again." She told him as she plopped down beside him on the couch and took his face in her hands, offering him a gentle kiss.

"Ya look better too, no offense." He told her, receiving a light hit on his shoulder from her.

"Do you still want to see what we can find out about your mom today? With everything that happened with Beth this morning I wasn't sure if you still wanted to do that." Davia asked.

"Yeah, I would. Let me get the box." He told her as he got up and retrieved the box from the closet. He returned quickly and set the box down on the coffee table in front of them.

For a moment they both stared at the box, not really knowing what to do. So Davia suggested they sort the letters in order of date, oldest to newest. After she was done she said, "Do you want me to start reading these first?"

"Do ya mind?" He asked. Davia noticed how pensive Daryl looked. This had to have been hard for him.

"OK…let's see what we have here." She picked up the first letter. "OK this one is short."

**Letter 1-Daryl age two**

_**My Dearest boys-**_

_**I miss you both so much. Merle I hope you read this to your little brother, as I know he is too small to read, and probably understand, so I hope you explain it to him. I know what I did was wrong, but I had to leave or He would have killed me. I love you both so very much and I will get you back one day…I Promise.**_

_**Love Always-**_

_**Mommy**_

"That's it?" Daryl questioned.

"She was probably terrified of Will at the time and didn't really know what to say. I mean, how do you try to justify to a two-year-old and a ten- year-old that you basically had to abandon them. It does look like she had intentions of trying to get you guys back." Davia was trying to explain to Daryl, but the look on his face showed he wasn't completely buying her explanation.

"You know, it ain't never set well with me that a momma would leave their babies. In the wild, a momma will kill to protect her young. I just don't get how she could do it…I never could." Daryl said sadly.

"Look, you know how Will was. Let's read some more and see if there are some explanations." Davia said, trying to be optimistic. She knew how bad it hurt to grow up without a mom, but in her case she didn't have a father either…no one but a cold foster family to take care of her. She was at least thankful she wasn't stuck in an orphanage.

Letter 2-Daryl age three

_**Merle and Daryl-**_

_**Today is Daryl's birthday and I wish so much I could be with my little man as he turns three years old. Merle I pray you are being strong for the both of you. You are a smart and strong son and I know you will do everything you can to protect the both of you from your Father. Please know he wasn't always such a horrible man, but the alcohol and drugs have destroyed what he once was. I pray everyday that I can find forgiveness in my heart for what he has done to me and our family. I want you boys with me so much, but if I try to take you, he has threatened to hurt you, and I couldn't live with myself if that ever happened. I know your Father, and he means what he says…no matter how hurtful. **_

_**I love you both so very much and I will see you again-I promise.**_

_**Mommy**_

"So what do you think?" Davia asked Daryl, who had a pained look on his face.

"Merle never told me about these letters, and it hurts. Why would he not share them with me? Don't make sense. Just to know she thought about me on my birthday would have meant the world to me at that age." Daryl told her.

"It sounds like she felt she would endanger you two if she tried to come get ya. Daryl, she was hurting so bad, can't you see how badly she wanted you both back? She also mentions that your dad wasn't always bad…probably like he is now. The drugs and alcohol made him that way." Davia said.

"You ain't trying to take up for him are ya?" Daryl asked, slightly defensive.

"God no Daryl. I am just saying that maybe you trying to establish some sort of relationship with him isn't in vain." She said trying to reassure him.

"Cordial is about the best I think we will ever be able handle." Daryl said. "Read the next one."

**Letter 3-Merles twelfth birthday.**

_**Happy Birthday my oldest boy…you are growing into a man and I can hardly believe it. I have been away from you and your brother for too long, and it is killing me. I have decided to go out west to find a decent job so that I can legally get custody of the two of you. There are people who help with things like this, but it costs money. Please don't tell your father. I know there is a chance he will read these letters, but knowing him, he won't bother because he doesn't want to be reminded I was part of his life once. **_

_**I have enclosed a little money for you to share with Daryl…take him to get some ice cream, but don't tell your father you have it, or he will most likely take it.**_

_**Love-**_

_**Mom**_

Daryl was quiet after Davia read the letter. "What is it Daryl? We can stop if you want." She told him.

He shook his head no, but still didn't speak.

"Daryl, talk to me, tell me what's going on." She said insistently.

"I remember that day…Merle did take me to get ice cream, and then he took me to the park afterwards. It was one of the very few happy memories I have as a kid, but I didn't know…I didn't know it was her. God Damn Merle for not telling me. He told me he found the money. He never fucking mentioned one time that it had come from her. I thought she didn't care and I thought she had abandoned us." He said, his voice now trembling with anger.

"Daryl, Merle most likely didn't know how to handle everything going on at the time. He had his whole world ripped from him when she left, and he had more time to know her than you did. Hell Daryl, he was only ten when she left. More than likely he just wanted to keep what little contact they had to himself, it was all he had." Davia told him, trying herself to understand why Merle would have never shared this information with Daryl after all these years, not until he was on his deathbed.

"Don't make it right. I swear if Merle was here in front of me I would kick his ass." Daryl told her, still angry.

"And then what? Look, it's obvious he knew he messed up keeping this from you, if he didn't know it he wouldn't have told you about it. He carried this guilt with him up until the very end. Please Daryl, don't let this kill you on the inside. The past is the past and their isn't anything you could have done differently. Even if you had known what would you have done? Merle knew, and he didn't do anything to find her, and there must have been a reason for it." Davia said, rubbing her hands on his leg trying to soothe him.

"Still don't make it easier. I feel like I was fucking robbed. What do I do now Davia?" He asked almost in a child like voice?

"Do you want me to read some more?" She asked.

"Yeah, might as well finish these up and see if we can figure out where she is." Daryl said.

Letter 4-Daryl age nine

_**Merle, thank you for writing me back. Montana is a lovely place and I am making good money out here grooming horses. I never knew how much I loved the outdoors and taking care of animals. I am working on a big ranch out in Montana, and I have become good friends with the ranch owner. He is so charming and kind. I've mentioned you boys to him, and his heart aches for what I have gone through being separated from you both. **_

_**As soon as I have enough money saved I am going to fly you and your brother out for a visit. Unfortunately the idea of me getting custody of you two isn't going to work as planned. The attorney I visited with told me I didn't go about things the correct way and that I could be determined to have been an "abandoning" parent. I never meant for this to happen…I truly want nothing more than to have my two sons with me. **_

_**Please tell me you are well Merle. From the last letter I received from you, I sensed that something has changed in you. Please don't be bitter, and more than anything, please protect Daryl from Will. Daryl is getting old enough now where Will might begin to lash out at him in a more violent way, and Daryl isn't as strong as you…Please Merle, do this for me.**_

_**Love you always-**_

_**Momma**_

"She thought I was weak? I'm a Dixon, we ain't weak…" was all Daryl could say.

"I don't think it was her saying you were weak, it was saying that you were small and an easy target, and let's be honest, you were. Daryl at this point she had been gone seven years and she still wanted you boys with her more than anything." Davia said trying to soothe him. She was beginning to see Daryl unravel and was thinking that maybe this had been a huge mistake. Finally Davia stood up and dropped the box firmly on the floor.

"STOP IT DARYL. I'M NOT GOING TO LET YOU DO THIS TO YOURSELF!" She shouted at him. It was very rare for Davia to ever raise her voice, but when she did, she meant business.

He didn't say anything, but his facial features softened slightly.

"Come on, Let's go out on the balcony and you smoke a cigarette, you need to unwind for a minute." She told him, gently taking his hand and leading him out to the balcony.

He still didn't say anything as she led him outside, but he flopped down in one of the chairs, almost defeated, and lit up a cigarette. He inhaled so deeply that Davia thought he might explode.

"Daryl, please talk to me. Let me know what you are thinking…feeling. I can't help you if you don't communicate." Davia said in frustration.

"I feel like my life was a fucking lie. My entire family lied to me about everything. My dad always told me I was a weak piece of shit, and I ain't. Merle let me believe my momma abandoned us and didn't want anything to do with me, and that was lie. Makes me wonder what else in my life is a lie." Daryl admitted.

"Well I can tell you this Daryl, and it's the absolute truth…I love you with every breath I take and I will never leave you, unless you want me too. You can't let the past destroy you, it has made you who you are, and I like that man." Davia said, trying to reassure him.

"How many more letters in the box?" He asked, his voice much softer now.

"Two, and one is unopened and addressed to only you. I am going to let you read that one yourself. I will be there with you, but I think you need to read your mother's words on your own for this one." Davia told him.

Letter 5 Daryl Age 12 Merle and Daryl-

_**I haven't heard from either of you and I am worried. I have tried to contact old acquaintances in Blue Ridge and no one has said they have seen you boys in quite some time. Please, either one of you if you can, send me a letter back to the address at the bottom of this letter. **_

_**I have some news for you boys, your mother has met someone very special who is willing to help me get you boys back in my life. Merle, I know you are old enough now not to need your Father's permission to come out and live with me and I hope you consider this offer. Montana is a beautiful state and I think you would love it here. I remember how you used to love to hunt and fish, and I am sure you would love it even more out here. **_

_**There is so much to offer out here for both of you, and Merle I am sure you could find a job. Please at least contact me and let me know you are OK. Daryl- Momma wants to see you so much. I can just imagine the handsome young man you have grown into. **_

_**There is so much I want to say to both of you, It's been ten long grueling years, but I know we can put things back together again, I feel it deep in my heart.**_

_**I never stopped loving you and I will always look forward to the day we can be together as a family again.**_

_**Love you both**_

_**Momma**_

Davia finished reading the letter and then handed Daryl the last one so he could read it himself. His hands shook as he opened it up, and he began to read it out loud, softly.

Letter 6-Unopened- Addressed to Daryl only Daryl Age 14

_**Daryl-**_

_**I am addressing this to you as I received a letter from Merle telling me he has been in a bit of trouble as of late. Daryl I must admit, I know nothing about you. I wish you would write or call but if you are angry with me I completely understand. I am getting married next month, which means you will have a new stepfather. He has helped me through much in life, but I can never get over the guilt I feel for leaving you. I often wonder if I should have stayed and endured what your Father put me through so I could take care of you and Merle. It seems I have lost Merle forever, but I can't even claim that I have lost you, as I don't even know that I ever found you.**_

_**Daryl honey-My heart aches with emptiness knowing we have been apart for so long. You were just a small boy when I left, and I only have one very worn out photo of you and Merle. I don't even know if you would recognize me if you saw me, but I know in my heart that I would know you, call it a Mother's instinct.**_

_**Even though I have found happiness with someone else, I will never be completely happy knowing you aren't with me. Son, you and Merle were my world, but I loved you so much I couldn't risk Will killing you. I still pray each night that he finds peace and can find his way back to how he once was. Maybe he already has and that is why I haven't heard from you. **_

_**I have spent years begging my sweet Merle to take care of you, but I think that I might just turn around and ask you to do the same for him. Something seems to have broken Merle's spirit and I have suspicions as to what it could be, but I want to lie to myself and tell myself that it isn't. **_

_**Daryl-Please keep an eye on Merle. The last letter he sent me I sensed anger and bitterness. I was thrilled to hear from him, but not happy to hear how broken he was. He said you wanted nothing to do with me either, since I left you both, but I hope you reconsider my sweet son. I don't know how many times I can tell you that everything I did, I did for you boys. **_

_**I promise to keep writing you until I hear from you. After my wedding if I haven't heard from you, I am going to fly to Georgia to find you so we can at least meet face to face. I love you honey.**_

_**Love**_

_**Momma**_

_**P.S. After I get married my new last name will be Blake.**_

Well at least now Daryl had a name to look for…Nora Blake. But why did she never return to Blue Ridge like she promised?

...To be continued...

**I didn't really want to continue on with this chapter, so I broke it up after they read the letters. Did you catch the last name?**

**Please leave me a quick review and let me know what ya think. You guys mean so much to me!**

**Thanks-**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	15. Chapter 15

*****I want to send out a special thanks to ArcheryLefty for offering the brilliant idea of how to bring Michonne into this story. I love ideas and suggestions, so if you have one, feel free to offer it.**

*****WARNING-SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL**** **

Davia and Daryl spent the next few hours searching the Internet trying to locate Daryl's mother. Unfortunately, there was hundreds of 'Nora Blake's' spread throughout the country, and at least thirty listed in Montana, her last known location.

"Daryl, we're gonna need more help. I wonder how much a Private Investigator would cost?"

"How about a lawyer? My father's step-daughter is an attorney, maybe she could help." Daryl said.

"Oh, I bet she could. Since you are going to see your father tomorrow, maybe he could help. It's the least he could do since this is mostly his mess to begin with." Davia quipped.

Daryl couldn't disagree with her, because she had a valid point. At first Daryl felt a little weird about asking his father for help with anything, but Davia helped him realize Will Dixon owed him, and Daryl was going to take advantage of any help he could get.

It was around eight at night and Davia was lying up against Daryl's chest on the couch, the two of them were engrossed in a movie and relishing each other's company. Daryl was healing up nicely and had pulled Davia to his body, not worried about his wounds aching anymore. He would get the stitches and staples out later in the week and to be honest, he was ready to return to work, but the Doctor had him out for an additional three weeks.

Davia's cell phone rang and she answered it, hearing Zach on the other line.

"Hey Davia, I know it's late, but I need your help. We can't get Bethy to respond to anyone, and I was wondering if you would mind riding on out and seeing if you could try to get through to her. I'm really worried about her." He said, fear in his voice.

"Anything Zach, but what about Hershel and Maggie?"

"Hershel's disappeared, and Maggie is beside herself trying to figure out what to do next. Glenn is going to see if he can go find Hershel." He replied.

"We're on our way." Davia said.

Daryl and Davia were out the door within five minutes of the phone call and at the Greene Farm within fifteen. Zach greeted them at the door "Beth's upstairs in her room with Maggie."

Davia Replied "Daryl why don't you and the other two men go see if you can find Hershel while Maggie and I tend to Beth."

"You got it" Daryl replied leading Zach and Glenn out to his truck, but not before giving Davia a quick kiss before he left.

Davia made her way upstairs to Beth's room. Maggie was sitting in a chair beside Beth's bed watching her little sister that was in an almost catatonic state.

"Beth honey, It's me Davia…" But Beth didn't respond.

Not really knowing what to do, Davia looked to Maggie, who in return shrugged her shoulders letting her know she didn't know what to do either. Davia opted for sitting down on the bed beside Beth, and then pulling Beth into a hug. Beth kept her body stiff, not acknowledging that Davia was even there with her.

"Sweetie, I need you to talk to me, you're scaring us." Davia said softly.

There was no response, nothing. If Beth hadn't blinked Davia would have sworn she was dead. Desperate now to get Beth to come out of her stoic state, Davia wrapped her arms around Beth and began to sing softly, rocking the younger girl as she sang, music being one Beth's true loves:

_**Blackbird singing in the dead of night**_

_**Take these broken wings and learn to fly**_

_**All your life**_

_**You were only waiting for this moment to arise.**_

_**Blackbird singing in the dead of night**_

_**Take these sunken eyes and learn to see**_

_**All your life**_

_**You were only waiting for this moment to be free.**_

_**Blackbird fly Blackbird fly**_

_**Into the light of the dark black night.**_

_**Blackbird fly Blackbird fly**_

_**Into the light of the dark black night.**_

_**Blackbird singing in the dead of night**_

_**Take these broken wings and learn to fly**_

_**All your life**_

_**You were only waiting for this moment to arise**_

_**You were only waiting for this moment to arise**_

_**You were only waiting for this moment to arise.**_

As Davia finished singing Beth's body began to shake with sobs. "Mama, I miss my mama so much." She cried out softly. Immediately Maggie was up and on the other side of her younger sister, both women now sandwiching the girl into a hug.

Beth continued to sob, letting out all of her pent up emotion. Maggie softly began to speak to her little sister "Let it out Bethy, it's OK. You can't let this destroy you, you're Mama wouldn't want it that way. You have got to keep living Beth, it's what she would have wanted."

For an hour Davia and Maggie comforted Beth until she finally fell asleep in Davia's arms. They heard the men return and Maggie motioned for Davia to go check on things "Davia thank you so much for what you have done, I've got things under control here…can you go check on Daddy?"

Davia agreed and quietly left the room and headed downstairs. Zach and Glenn were helping Hershel, who was stumbling, into his room. Davia looked at Daryl and he quickly ran to her, taking her into his arms.

"He relapsed. We found him at an old bar on the outskirts of town. Hershel is one of the strongest men I know…and for him to fall apart like this, I can't help but wonder about my father." Daryl admitted.

Davia hugged him tighter "Does that mean you still care what happens to him?"

"I reckon I still do. After all he did to me I still can't let go of the fact that he is still my father. I always wondered what he would have been like if he was sober, and he ain't that bad the way he is now. Does that mean I forgive him? No, it doesn't, but we can at least attempt to be civil to each other going forward. If I keep holding onto the past, it's gonna kill me, and it will haunt me in everything I do in the future. It's not what I want to do, but its what I gotta do." He admitted to her.

Davia nodded in agreement. She knew it was hard for Daryl to trust people, and for him to make this leap into attempting to have a relationship with is father, was a huge step forward for Daryl's emotional development. But Davia, like Daryl, was weary of what could happen. Right now Will had all the power, and he could either help Daryl heal, or rip the wounds from his past wide open.

…

As they were leaving the Greene farm Davia noticed how cold the November air was. "Winter's gonna be here soon." She told Daryl.

"Yep, and we will be enjoying that big old fireplace at our home soon." He told her.

"How long do you think it will be before we can move in?" She asked.

"Depending on how successful we are tomorrow getting the plumbing fixed, I think it could be a week or two tops." He told her.

"Really that soon? I can't believe it. I've got so much packing to do." She told him.

"We'll get it done, don't worry about it." He told her.

"Daryl, this is gonna sound crazy, but can we run by the house now? I don't want to go back to the apartment…we could even test out the fireplace." She told him.

"I don't know Davia, it's late and I have to be back over there pretty early in the morning to meet my dad." Daryl told her.

"Please?" She asked, dragging out the word and batting her long eye lashes at Daryl.

"Fine." He told her, knowing he couldn't resist her when she played him like that.

They made the short trip out to the house and Daryl pulled out a flashlight from the glove compartment to light the way to the front door. Davia pulled out a horse blanket that Daryl had in the back of his truck and they entered the house. Daryl found a few logs still stacked in the back in an old woodpile and went to building a fire in the grand fireplace. Within a few minutes they had a good size fire going and Davia had placed the blanket down on the floor in front of the hearth.

Davia pulled out her phone and set it up so music would play, creating a nice romantic atmosphere. She sat down on the blanket and then patted the space beside her, which was quickly occupied by Daryl. "Daryl I love you." She told him boldly. When Davia first met Daryl she was a quiet insecure girl who questioned why Daryl would give her the time of day, now she had confidence, and she liked how it felt.

"What's this all about?" He asked her.

"I just wanted to be here alone with you, away from everything. This is our future and I wanted to get a head start on it." She said as she placed her hands on each side of his face and pulled him to her, giving him a passionate kiss.

Their lips touched and immediately a spark of electricity shot through both of their bodies. Davia's lips parted and Daryl's soft tongue entered her mouth and she let out a breathy groan. The kiss continued and Daryl gently laid Davia down as he was now above her, looking into her beautiful brown eyes that were full of love and passion. He continued to kiss her and then pulled away placing his lips on her neck and then moved to her collarbone, lavishing her with his tongue.

Davia's body began to tingle and she pulled Daryl against her body, and without thinking she thrust her hips up against him. Now he was the one letting out a moan. His hands slid down her sides and he began to push her shirt upwards, eventually removing it. He was treated to a view of her in a black and white lace bra, looking up at him hungrily, her hair cascading around her like a painting of Ophelia. He was hesitant and Davia sensed it "Don't stop Daryl…I'm ready for this." She told him.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

She nodded and pulled his body flush to hers, sliding his shirt up and over his head. He removed her bra and let his hands glide across her breasts, feeling her hardened peaks against the palms of his hands. Davia shivered and then began to reciprocate as she let her hands run across his torso. She could feel his scars and stitches and she quietly replied "Please let me know if this is uncomfortable."

Daryl knew at this point she could have stabbed him with a knife and he wouldn't feel it. Testosterone was flooding his body and he was fighting the urges to take her right away. But this was Davia, his Davia, and he wanted to give her so much more than just a quick pounding…he wanted to make true and proper love to her. This needed to be sweet and gentle, because Davia was sweet and gentle.

Daryl continued devouring her with his mouth, taking her right nipple into his mouth and lapping at it with his tongue. Davia's response was a whispered "Oh God" and it caused Daryl's engorged manhood to pulse. She traced her fingers down his stomach and below his belly button, quickly finding the button to his jeans and unfastening it. Just the feel of her hands on his body was sending sensations throughout his entire lower half. She unzipped his pants and quickly slid them down and he stopped suckling her breast just long enough to discard them to the side.

Daryl was now clad in his boxers and his hardened mass was straining to get out. It had been a long time since he had even had sex, and he had never had a sexual encounter with anyone that he was actually in love with. This was new and different, and he didn't think he had ever been so aroused in his entire life.

Daryl slid his hands down Davia's sides to her hips and then made quick work of her jeans. The two of them were intertwined with each other, clad only in thin layers of undergarments. Daryl stopped and took the sight of Davia underneath him bathed in the light of the fire and thought she looked angelic. He gently slid his hands to the waistband of her black panties and slid them down carefully, feeling her body shiver in anticipation.

"Are you still OK?" He asked.

She answered by reaching up and sliding off his boxers. His arousal sprung forward and Davia gasped as her hand brushed along it. She had seen him naked before, but never in this state, and the size of his erection intimidated her. For a second she almost panicked and backed out of the current situation until She felt Daryl's fingers gliding against her wet folds and eventually he began to gently massage her nub sending an energy through her mid-section like nothing she had ever felt. Suddenly her mind quit working and she began to react like a primal animal. Moaning, grabbing, thrusting her body up towards his. Nothing else mattered other than feeling him inside of her at this moment.

"Please Daryl, I need to feel you in me now." She begged. Daryl almost came right then and there at the sound of his woman begging him to take her.

"Hold on" he said as he grabbed his jeans and then went into his wallet, pulling out a condom.

Davia sat up just long enough to rip open the package and roll the condom over his engorged shaft. He reached around her and eased her down underneath him. He parted her legs and then spoke softly "Just relax and if it hurts you let me know." He told her.

She grabbed him and slipped her tongue roughly into his mouth, pulling him flush against her again. He was like a drug she couldn't get enough of. Daryl was now poised at her slick opening and he slowly entered her. Davia tensed at first, but quickly let herself relax. There was a friction and tightness at first, but it wasn't uncomfortable. It took him about a minute to fully bury him self inside of her, and the first instance that he rubbed up against her bundle of nerves about sent her over the edge. She immediately reacted by thrusting her hips up towards him, forcing Daryl to moan in pleasure. The sensation of him filling her on the inside and the pleasure of him rubbing up against her nub on the outside almost made her blind with ecstasy. She began to react and anticipate his motion and the two were soon working in a regular rhythm. The pace was slow at first, but soon Daryl began to quicken his thrusts and Davia met him each time. It was if their bodies fit together perfectly. Both of them were covered in a sheen of sweat as their movements were becoming more and more animated. Soon Davia lost all control and it felt like she was no longer in charge of what her body was doing. She had heard that orgasms were amazing, but she had no idea how amazing until now. She screamed out "Daryl I'm coming!" and she then let out a full-blown scream as her legs began to shake and she completely got lost in her first orgasm.

Daryl followed quickly after her and went over the edge as well. He also let out a deep growl of pleasure, riding out his orgasm as long as he could. He buried his face in her neck letting his body recover enough so he could muster up enough energy just to move.

"I fucking love you Davia. I ain't never had anything feel that way. It was so fucking intimate." He said as he changed positions from on top of her to beside her, pulling her to him and kissing her on the forehead.

"You OK?" He said, concerned because she had yet to say anything.

"I…Oh my…Daryl, that felt fucking amazing." She said, letting out a rare profanity.

"You liked it huh?" He said, proud of his accomplishment.

"We will be doing that MUCH more often." She said, nuzzling her nose into his neck and wrapping her arms across his chest.

"Hell yeah babe. I know you said you ain't never done that before, but you were a natural at it. God Damn you woman. You can get me to do anything for you." He told her.

"Oh yeah?" She said teasingly.

They lay there together talking for another hour, but it was almost midnight and the fire was close to burning out. "We need to go babe, I gotta be back in the morning and we've got the Greene family funeral tomorrow." He told her.

"I know…I just don't want to leave this place. I can't wait until we are here permanently. There are lot's of rooms in this house to try out." She giggled.

"You're gonna kill me woman. Don't forget you're younger than me." He teased back.

They got dressed and Daryl put out the fire and then they left, locking the door behind them. It was chilly out and Daryl wrapped his jacket around Davia and then led her to the truck where he opened the door for her. He hated to leave her side even just to walk around the truck and get in on the driver's side.

"Daryl, I'm starving, you wanna go grab something at the diner before we get home?" She asked.

"Sounds good, I seemed to have worked up quite an appetite myself." He told her.

"Do you think people will see us and know what we just did?" She asked.

"Hope so." He replied.

…

Daryl slept so soundly that night that he almost over slept. When he awoke Davia was still sound asleep, but he swore she had a smile on her face and he couldn't help but feel proud that he might have had a little something to do with that.

He took a quick bath, thankful he would be able to take a shower by the end of the week, and quickly got dressed. As he was about to leave he had to stop and take in the sight of Davia…His Davia…sleeping. God he loved her. Before he left he wrote her a quick note

Davia-

_I miss you already. I'll be back in time for the service tonight-_

_Love-_

_D_

It was simple and to the point just like Daryl.

Daryl chain-smoked out of the nervousness of being alone with his father on his way to the house. When he arrived he got out of the truck and unlocked the front door, walking into the main living area and taking a look at the fireplace. A big smile crossed his usually stoic face as he remembered his interlude with Davia the night before. Daryl then made a mental note to swing by the store on the way home to purchase some more condoms. He knew Davia still had at least another week before the birth control pills would be at full effectiveness and he wasn't sure if they would have any more opportunities to have sex again this week, but he hoped that they would. Last night had been the most pleasurable sexual experience he had ever had and he wanted to take Davia again and again.

Daryl was disturbed from his thoughts when his father walked in the front door.

"Hope you don't mind that I didn't knock." Will told his son.

"Ain't a problem. Follow me upstairs and I will show you where the problem started." Daryl said to his father.

They went upstairs to the master bathroom and Daryl showed Will the pipes. Will looked at them and then said "Yeah, these are in pretty bad shape, I'm gonna crawl under the house and see what we are dealing with."

Will might have been older, but Daryl was impressed at how well he was able to crawl around in the small space underneath the house. "It looks like these pipes have been patched up over the years. Some of them are newer than others. It's not as bad as I thought it would be, so that's a good thing. I think we can get by just replacing the pipes upstairs and then you should be good. I would recommend replacing the hot water heater though, it looks like it's on its last legs and could pose a fire threat." His father said.

"Thanks." Daryl said, a bit relieved that he wasn't going to have to replace all of the plumbing in the house.

Daryl and his father left and headed to the home improvement store to pick up the items that they needed and it gave Daryl a chance to talk to his father. He nervously lit up a cigarette and then initiated a conversation.

"I got a favor to ask of ya if ya don't mind." He said to Will.

"Anything Daryl." Will replied.

"You said your step-daughter was a family law attorney. I need help finding mom. I went through Merle's things and I know she got married and moved out west, but everything stopped abruptly about the time she got married. I ain't sure if something happened to her, or if she just forgot about us after she started her new life. Based on all her letters, it doesn't make sense. The last thing she said was she was going to return to Blue Ridge to see us, but I don't think it ever happened."

"I can call Michonne right now if you would like. I know she would be more than willing to help." Will told him.

Daryl nodded and Will picked up his cell phone. Daryl listened to the conversation and could tell there was much more of a comfort level between his father and stepdaughter than there was with he and Will. He imagined it had a lot to do with the fact that Michonne had never seen the bad side of Will.

As Will continued the conversation he paused long enough to ask Daryl a question "Any chance you can make it to Atlanta next Monday?"

"Yeah, I think I can do that." He said. He still had a few weeks before he could return to work, so this all seemed to work out well. He hoped Davia would go along with him, and maybe they could make a day of it spending time in Atlanta.

Will ended the call and told Daryl he would give him the address of Michonne's law office. "You'll like her Daryl, she's a good girl." Will assured his son.

"Daryl can I ask you a question?" Will asked tentatively.

"Yeah, ain't promising to answer it, but you can ask." Daryl replied.

"You planning on getting hitched to this young lady you are with? She seems like a nice sweet girl and she adores you. Anyone can see that."

"Don't know, we ain't been seeing each other that long, but she is moving into the house with me." Daryl told him.

"How did y'all meet?" Will asked.

"She is a singer at Dale's bar. Went there with Merle one night and when I heard her sing I was taken aback by her." He told his dad.

"Sort of an instant attraction. She reminds me of your momma in a way. A real good girl. I just pray you don't ever go down the path I took." Will said sadly.

"Ain't gonna happen. I couldn't ever put anyone through what you put us through. Now look, I appreciate the fact that you have 'turned over a new leaf' and all, but you can't blame me for still being apprehensive around you. Just last night I went to a bar to retrieve Hershel Greene in a drunken stupor. I know you have been sober for a long time, but so was Hershel. So you have to forgive me if I don't fully trust ya." He told his dad honestly.

"I hate to hear that about Hershel. I understand he is going through a lot right now, but he needs to be strong for his daughters. I understand you and Davia are close with Hershel's youngest daughter, Beth?"

"Yeah, her and her boyfriend Zach. They're good people and you don't see a lot of that anymore. I spent the majority of my life dealing with the aftermath of what you did, and then following Merle around. Trust me, Merle didn't surround himself with good people. Davia has helped me see that good people still do exist. She ain't had an easy time of things in her life either, but she rose above it. People have treated her like shit for most of her life, and she still is a good person. There was a while I wasn't sure if I could even be a good man, but Davia helped me realize I can be." Daryl said.

"Daryl you need to hold on to her. I know this might be a bit presumptuous, but Jacqui wanted me to invite you two out to Chattanooga for Thanksgiving. You don't have to answer right now, but it could be a start of trying to put things back together." Will said.

Daryl didn't answer for a minute. This would be a huge step in their relationship and Daryl wasn't sure he was ready to go that far at this point. "I'll think about it." He said, knowing he would need to talk to Davia and get her to weigh in on his decision.

They spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon getting the plumbing fixed in the house. Daryl was impressed at how quickly Will worked and when he was done, the plumbing was working well. Daryl gave his father a tour of the house and the property, even pointing out a shed on the back of the land that Daryl had already pegged as his 'man cave'. He had plans to even install a large chest freezer to store meat from hunting. Daryl hadn't been able to get out and hunt for a while, and he was definitely craving the ability to get out in the woods and take down a few deer. It was on a bucket list of things he and Zach wanted to do together without the girls. Just a weekend of male bonding, plus the meat from the deer would save a good amount of money on food.

After Daryl and his father left the house, Daryl stopped at the pharmacy and picked up a box of condoms, and then he decided he would surprise Davia and he swung by the florist and picked her up a bouquet of flowers. He knew it was a cheesy gesture, but he wanted to show her something to let her know just how much last night meant to him.

When he arrived at the apartment he heard the piano playing and Davia singing. He guessed she must have been practicing while he was gone. Part of him wanted to just stay out in the hall and listen to her sing, but he didn't want her to think he was spying on her, so he opened up the door and went inside the apartment.

The music stopped as he entered and she looked up at her lover. "Hey" Daryl said in his deep southern twang. "Got these for ya just to let ya know I was thinking about ya."

"Daryl they're gorgeous. I haven't been able to stop thinking about you either." She said, almost blushing. He took a look around the apartment and noticed she had done a serious amount of packing. All the paintings on the walls were removed, her entire music collection was boxed up, and there was a pile of empty boxes stacked neatly in the corner. It was amazing to him that even with her packing and moving, her house was still spotless. He could smell bleach and knew she had also spent a good part of the day scrubbing down surfaces. One look at her hands verified his suspicion.

"Baby you gotta take it easy on the cleaning, you have worn the skin pure off your knuckles. I'll make sure I help you get everything spotless before we turn the apartment over." He said to her, taking her chin into his hands and tilting her face up towards his. He leaned in and placed a kiss on her mouth that immediately changed from a simple kiss to a burning hunger between the two. Before Daryl knew it he was walking Davia backward towards the bedroom. He kicked the door shut and walked them over to the bed, leaning Davia back onto the mattress while never breaking the kiss. Their sexual appetite was insatiable and Daryl's hands made quick work of Davia's blouse, once again exposing yet another sexy red bra that she had on. It would be so easy to take her again here and now, but a sense of reality hit him like a ton of bricks and he realized they needed to be at the funeral home in just over an hour.

When he pulled away Davia moaned in frustration as her loins were burning with the desire to be filled up with every bit of Daryl.

"Sorry babe, but it ain't right to do this just before Beth has to say goodbye to her momma and her brother." He told her.

"Rain check…right?" Davia said teasingly.

"Oh yeah, just look at this as foreplay." He told her.

Daryl took another bath after getting dirty and sweaty working on the house with his father and Davia straightened her hair and applied makeup. Davia had laid out some clothes for Daryl and he changed into them. "Shit like this keeps happening and I'm gonna need to actually buy some dress clothes." He told her.

"You do look good cleaned up Dixon." She replied.

"Yeah, but it ain't me. I'm happiest covered in dirt, or covered in you." He said, wondering if she picked up on the last part of his sentence.

"Keep that teasing up Daryl and I'm gonna explode." She said.

On the way to the funeral home Davia brought up to Daryl that they needed to find her a car. "Obviously a BMW would be expensive and not practical, but how about something like a Toyota Highlander?" She asked.

"How about something a little more American, like a Jeep Cherokee?" He replied back.

"Oh Daryl, you are such a red-blooded country boy. Actually though, that's a good idea, because I like Cherokees" She told him.

"See if you can find a deal on the Internet tomorrow, and if you find something, we'll go look at it and get it. I meant to tell you, I gotta go to Atlanta on Monday to meet my stepsister. She's gonna help us try to find my mom." He told Davia.

"I haven't been to Atlanta in years, not since like Middle School. I went there for a Choral Competition in eighth grade. Can we spend the day there?" She asked him.

"I was gonna ask if you wanted to. It's about an hour and a half to get there, so we could spend the day and be back that night." He told her.

"When do you think we are gonna be able to move into the house?" She asked him.

"Maybe this weekend. I'm going to see if I can find an inspector to check out everything Friday, and if it all checks out, we can get an occupancy permit and move in. The plumbing was the last big hurdle." He told her.

"I think I'm going to see if Dale will let me take the rest of the week off, then we can focus all of our attention on getting the house in tip-top shape. There is one thing I would like to purchase though…" She said with a coy look on her face.

"What's that Davia?" He asked curious as to what it was.

"A big old bed for the Master bedroom. Something massive and masculine that has your influence. Nothing prissy. I want my man to have a place where he can act like a feral animal, and I want to be your prey." She said, whispering the last part.

"Davia you're killing me. You keep it up and we ain't gonna make it to the service." He said.

She let out a laugh. "Sorry."

"There is something else I want to talk to you about. My dad invited us to Chattanooga for Thanksgiving. I didn't give him an answer, but I thought I would talk it over with you first." He said.

"That's a big change for you isn't it? Do you want to go?" She asked.

"It could be interesting. Jacqui seems like a nice lady, and my father has been nothing but polite and helpful since he's been in town. I am really considering it. It would be a big step in reconciling with him." Daryl said carefully.

"OK, then it's settled, we will go. I assume he will be at the service tonight and you can tell him then if you are in agreement." She said.

Daryl put his thumb to his mouth and began to chew on it…a nervous habit Davia noticed when he was struggling with hard decisions. "I will tell him tonight. If it turns out to be a disaster we can just leave. Let's just hope it doesn't get to that." He told her.

They arrived at the memorial service and the funeral home was loaded down with local people. The Greene's were well known and respected in the community, and it appeared to Davia that just about everyone in town was there. Her and Daryl made their way in to pay their respects and Beth immediately pulled them to the side.

"Davia, I was supposed to sing, but I just can't do it." She said tearfully.

"Shhh…. We'll do it together Bethy. What are you going to sing?"

"Momma's favorite hymns, Amazing Grace and The Garden." Beth said.

"OK I will play the piano and sing harmony with you, but you are going to lead. OK sweetie? You can do this, give this one last gift to your Momma." Davia told Beth.

Beth nodded. Daryl was standing beside Davia quietly and Zach soon joined the trio. "Glad y'all could come tonight. It's been a rough couple of days. Hershel's been fighting with everything he has to stay sober. He's apologized at least ten times for last night and Glenn and I have both been trying to not let him out of our sight. The man is grieving and neither of us know what to do to make it any better." Zach said.

Daryl spoke "Maybe my old man could talk to him. He's been sober for a long time, and they both used to run together. Not sure it will help, but I can ask him." Daryl said. It was then that he realized he was beginning to actually rely on his father for things. This was something Daryl never had the luxury of doing in his past life. It had always been Merle who took care of Daryl, or on some rare occasion some of his father's slutty girlfriends, but that was only in the cases when Social Services got involved and threatened to take him away if the living conditions didn't improve.

Zach replied "Anything you think will help."

The service was emotional and beautiful. Hershel got up and spoke about his wife and stepson, telling the story of how they came into his life and changed his world. Daryl and Davia sat with Will and Jacqui and Daryl actually had a conversation with his father (Presumably about Hershel) before the service had begun.

Davia and Beth turned the service into water-works when they sang her mother's favorite hymns and though Beth was an emotional wreck, she fought through it and sounded like a sweet little Nightingale. When they were done singing Davia stayed with Beth instead of returning to sit beside Daryl. Though every part of her wanted to be with Daryl at this moment, she knew Beth needed her support more.

When the service was over Davia stood to go back to Daryl and Beth grabbed her arm. "Davia something seems different with you today. You almost have a glow to you." She said.

Davia blushed and before she could respond Beth's face lit up "You and Daryl had sex didn't you?"

"Oh God, is it that obvious" Davia said.

"It is if you know what to look for. I'm so happy for you Davia." Beth said hugging her friend. "You have to tell me all about it. Call me tomorrow so we can talk." Beth said.

"Are you sure you're up to it? I'm not sure if it's appropriate with all you have been going through." Davia said concerned.

"I need the distraction Davia. It will help me feel like life can get back to normal. I don't know what I would have done without you, Daryl, and Zach. This has been so hard. I didn't want to go on living until you sang to me last night. That's when you and Maggie made me realize Momma wouldn't be pleased with my behavior. I will always be grateful for that Davia." She said, once again hugging her friend.

Davia and Beth parted ways and Daryl soon found her "You ready to go?"

"Yes. Did you talk to your father?" She asked.

"Told him we would be there. We'll drive up Thursday morning and stay the night. He did mention something about us staying in separate rooms since we weren't married, but I told him that wouldn't fly and if we had too we would get a hotel room. I never thought I would have that conversation with Will Dixon. He's gone off to find Hershel to see if he can get him sorted." Daryl told her.

As they were heading out to Daryl's truck to leave to go home they heard someone yell Daryl's name. "Daryl, hold up."

They both turned to see Rick and Carol heading towards them. Carol looked like a different woman. She was dressed in a nice suit and had on make-up and jewelry. Her short hair was teased and Davia thought it looked as though she had colored her silver locks.

When Rick approached he extended his hand to Daryl, who accepted it. "Glad we caught y'all before you left. Wanted to give you a heads up."

"What's going on?" Daryl asked.

Carol began to speak "I am sorry to tell you two this, but my estranged husband Ed, he thinks I left him for you Daryl."

"What, why the hell would he think that?" Daryl said, slightly pissed.

"The entire reason he beat me that night was he found your cell number in my phone after I left for work early that day to check on you. I'm sorry Daryl, I know I made things very awkward for you and Davia, and I am going to just blame it on a mental lapse. It had been so long since any man had treated me with Dignity that it screwed up my judgement. Rick has been a true friend and helped me through a lot in the past couple of weeks. Fortunately Ed doesn't know where I'm staying, but unfortunately he has been putting the word around town he is looking for you. We needed to give you a heads up. Ed is a sneaky bastard and a meaner drunk. So far he hasn't done anything, but he can be very patient when he wants revenge. Please keep your eyes open just in case." Carol said.

"Ain't worried too much about it, but thanks for the heads up. If the man starts shit with me he will wish he never had been born." Daryl replied.

"Daryl, why don't you drop by the station in the morning and take out a restraining order, just in case. If nothing else it will make Carol's case that much stronger."

"Fine if you think it will help. I don't need a restraining order to keep him away from me, but if it will help out Carol and her little girl I'll do it." Daryl said.

Davia and Daryl finally got in the truck and headed home. They had unfinished business that they needed to handle…

**Yep...they did it, and I think Daryl has created a monster LOL.**

**Thanks everyone to the incredible reviews and support I have been receiving. Some of you have been with me for all four stories I have written (and writing) and it means so much to me. **

**THis chapter seemed like it took forever to write and I apologize for how long it took. Hopefully I will have another chapter up on Sunday/Monday depending on how busy I get this weekend.**

**Gotta tell y'all...I took a self-defense class this week, and now I feel like a total badass. LOL.**

**PLEASE Leave me a review or let me know if you want to see anything in the story. I know my SMUT scenes have a lot to be desired, but it's the best I can do without turning fifteen shades of red...I want to keep it respectful between the characters and not just an excuse to write porn. Plus, it was Davia's first time and I wanted to keep that realistic.**

**Have a great weekend and I think we are going to have a good sunday on TWD. What did y'all think of the Carol/Daryl episode?**

**Hugs and Kisses-**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	16. Chapter 16

*****WARNING-PHYSICAL VIOLENCE ON A FEMALE IN THIS CHAPTER (NO SEXUAL VIOLENCE)**

Daryl and Davia made love twice after arriving home from the service. Once almost immediately after entering the apartment and once more this morning. Davia couldn't believe that after the first time that they had had sex could feel any better, but she was wrong. They were still in the early stages of getting to know each other's bodies, but apparently Davia was a fast learner. Daryl had even joked that the box of a dozen condoms he had purchased probably wasn't going to last them more than a few days.

Daryl reluctantly got out of bed to get the day started. He and Davia enjoyed a bubble bath together (Daryl making the decision that he was healed up enough to fully submerge his wounds) and it almost lead to a round three. Both of them now had an insatiable appetite for each other physically, and Davia teased that it had been the best cardio workout she'd had in years.

Daryl headed down to the police station to meet with Rick and Davia pulled out her laptop to research vehicles. Daryl had been gracious in letting her use the truck whenever she asked, but it would be nice to have a vehicle of her own. He had suggested a Jeep and she agreed that it would be a good choice. The dirt path that led to the house was almost a half mile long and in bad weather it would require a vehicle that was high of the ground, or even at times a four-wheel drive. Plus Blue Ridge had notoriously snowy winters since it sat at a higher elevation being a mountainous community.

She spent a good hour looking and finally found a silver Jeep Cherokee that was slightly used, but fully loaded and at a really good price. It was priced well enough that she could pay cash and wouldn't have to finance it. She wrote down the address and phone number and stuck it in her purse so she and Daryl could go check it out when he got home.

She decided she would cook homemade soup in the crock-pot so she went to the fridge and began to work on chopping vegetables and defrosting some beef tenderloin she had purchased earlier in the week. Once she had the vegetables chopped she began to work on tenderizing and seasoning the beef before she added it to the pot as well. As soon as she had finished putting the lid on the crockpot she heard a knock on the door. She wiped her hands on a kitchen towel and went to answer the door.

She opened the door to see a large man she didn't recognize blocking the doorway. He smelled of sweat and booze and appeared to be swaying slightly. Davia's heart jumped into her throat when she realized she should have checked the peephole instead of just opening the door.

"Dixon here?" The man slurred out.

"He's in the shower." This was the best answer Davia could come up with at the moment. She didn't want the man to know she was home alone.

"Who are you?" He asked gruffly.

"His girlfriend." Davia responded. Was that the right answer? Should she have told him she was his Fiancée or wife?

"He's fucking around on ya with my wife." The man said bluntly. At that moment he pushed his way into the apartment and began to yell for Daryl. "Dixon get your fucking cheating ass out here right now. You are about to pay for your transgressions."

Before Davia could react the man shoved her out of the way and began to go towards the shower. It took the man about two seconds to realize that Daryl wasn't there.

"You fucking lied to me you little cunt. Are you trying to make me look like a fool?" He said as he quickly grabbed Davia by her hair with his right hand and began to drag her across the room.

"Sir…Please…your hurting me?" She whimpered.

"Oh honey, you don't know hurt. So you're Dixon's woman huh? How's it feel to know he's been fucking someone else?" the man said.

"I don't know what you're talking about? There isn't any way he would do that to me?" Davia said as calmly as she could. She was in trouble and she was trying to find a way to get out of this situation. She glanced around the room and caught the sight of her cell phone on the counter. She needed to get to the phone and call 911 because she knew she was in great peril at the moment.

Davia pulled away from the man quickly and ran for the phone, she grabbed it, but not before the drunken man caught her. She pushed the phone and a call went through to the last person she had talked with, Beth.

Beth answered her phone when she saw she had a call from Davia, but was confused when all she heard was a man yelling in the background. "Davia…Davia is that you?" She said into her phone but receiving no answer.

"I don't know who you are, or why are you here?" Davia yelled at her attacker. She was answered with a smack across the face that sent her reeling into the wall.

"Don't fuck with me you bitch. You know who I am." The man said belligerently. Davia pulled herself up off the floor just long enough to have the man grab her again and slam her against the wall.

"Please don't do this" She cried. Beth was still on the other line, screaming in panic. The man grabbed the phone from Davia and shouted into the phone "Say goodbye to your friend, she ain't gonna be around much longer after I am done with her." And then he disconnected the call. Panicked, Beth tried to call back, but the phone went straight to voice mail. The drunken man had smashed the phone to pieces when he threw it up against the wall. The next number Beth called was 911 and then she attempted to call Daryl.

Davia was now scrambling to try to make it to her room where she might have a chance if she could get her door shut and locked. The man came at her again, and this time she shoved him, knocking him off balance and allowing her to scramble to her room. She shut the door and locked it, but it was to no avail as the man was now furious and managed to kick the door down with just a few good kicks. Now Davia was cornered with nowhere to go.

The guy now pounced on top of her and began to punch her in the face and head repeatedly, calling her names like "slut" and "whore" as he beat her senseless. Davia punched and scratched in a vain attempt to get the man to let her go, but he was acting psychotic and seemed to possess a super human strength in his rage.

Davia was now covered in blood and her eyes were swelling. The man stopped long enough to catch his breath and Davia pushed herself up and ran for the front door, but unfortunately the man was faster than her and caught her before she could get out of the apartment. She tried to grab anything she could to hit him with, but most of her belongings were packed in boxes and she was struggling to find anything that would work. She remembered the knife on the Kitchen counter and once again pulled away from him so she could grab it.

This time she grabbed the knife before he could get to her and as he reached his arms around her body she stabbed at him, feeling the knife break the flesh in his upper arm. She had really hoped that she would have stabbed him somewhere lethal on his body, but the shock of the knife cutting him allowed her to pull away yet again.

Davia was now bleeding profusely and as she ran once again for the front door, she slipped on the kitchen floor that was now covered in both her and her attacker's blood. This allowed the monster to once again get the upper hand on her and he began to unleash a vicious beating on her. She fought with everything she had, but he now had his hands around her neck and the world around her began to fade to dark and everything became fuzzy. Her last thoughts before she blacked out were of her and Daryl and she prayed to God that she would see him one more time before she died.

…

Daryl had arrived down at the police station and met up with Rick. Rick already had the paperwork in order for Daryl to fill out the Restraining Order against Ed.

"This seems like a load of bullshit to me." Daryl told Rick.

"I know, but it protects you if Ed does something to provoke you." Rick assured him.

"You can't tell me a fucking piece of paper actually would keep someone from coming after ya if they really wanted too." Daryl muttered.

"Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. Like I said, it does more to protect you legally if he does come after you. I think I know you well enough that if Ed Peletier were to encroach upon you, fists would be flying. In your case now it's self-defense, not assault." Rick reminded him.

Daryl completed the paperwork and Rick initiated a conversation. "You know, I mentioned to you how impressed I was with your skills the other day at the accident scene. You picked up on clues that most people would have missed. When I mentioned to you considering a career in law enforcement I was serious. Daryl you would be a natural at this."

"Ha, are you high Sheriff Grimes? A Dixon in law enforcement?" Daryl replied.

"I am not high, and yes, a Dixon in law enforcement."

"Rick, I don't even have a High School diploma. There ain't no way I could even qualify." Daryl told him matter-of-factly.

"Daryl I pulled all of you records, you were not a bad student before you dropped out. You could probably get your GED within two weeks and then, upon my recommendation, go to the police academy." Rick told him.

"You really are serious about this aren't you?" Daryl said.

"Very. Look, your hunting and tracking skills are legendary in this area, and you managed to keep your nose clean despite being a Dixon. Plus, we are really looking into adding a K-9 unit, and I think you would be a natural." Rick said.

"You are really willing to go out on a limb for me for this?" Daryl asked, perplexed that anyone as smart as Rick Grimes would even consider him for a role in law enforcement.

"Yeah, I am." Rick replied.

"Look, I just bought a house and I have bills, I would have to work and I don't think you can attend the police academy and work a job. I just don't see how it is doable." Daryl replied.

"Scholarships and Grants Daryl. You could get enough to pay for the program and subsidize your living expenses. I would make sure of it. I'd even hire you here part time so you can have insurance until you graduate. Come on Daryl...please consider it. The next semester starts in January and I would really like to have this all worked out by then." Rick said.

"I have to talk to Davia. She's part of my life now, and since she is moving in with me it will effect her too. If she agrees then I will consider it." Daryl said.

"Glad to hear it." Rick replied as he extended his hand to Daryl for a handshake. Daryl reciprocated and then got up to leave. Before he could make it out the door his cell phone began to ring and he answered it when he saw the call was from Beth.

"Hello" He said, suddenly not able to hear what she was saying because chaos broke out in the station about an "assault in progress"…

"Daryl, It's Davia something is happening to her at the apartment, someone is attacking her…" Daryl hung up and Rick came running out of his office.

"Daryl I need you to be calm and come with me. Your neighbor has reported hearing screams from your apartment and loud noises and Beth Greene called and…"

"I know… let's go." Daryl said trying very had to remain calm while every bit of him wanted to get in his truck and take out anyone and anything that got in his way to Davia.

…

The man heard the sirens as he was choking Davia. He immediately jumped up and let Davia's limp body drop to the floor as he fled from the apartment. He saw the squad car rounding the corner and ran down the stairs of the apartment complex into the heavy woods behind the building. There was no way he was going to risk getting caught. At least he had the satisfaction of knowing that he probably had just taken one of the few precious things away from Dixon, just as Dixon had taken from him.

Rick barely had a chance to get the car in park before Daryl bolted from the passenger seat and ran up the stairs to his apartment, taking the steps two at a time. He entered the apartment and saw Davia laying in a bloody heap on the floor "No No No No No…" He began to shout as he made his way to her and dropped down on the ground reaching out to touch her.

"Don't Daryl" Rick shouted, " We don't know how bad she's hurt. Let's let the EMT's handle this." He said.

Rick dropped down beside her and grabbed her wrist to search for a pulse. He let out a breath he had been holding "I've got a faint pulse." He said.

"Davia, Davia honey, it's me babe, wake up." Daryl begged, but she was unresponsive.

"Daryl she's unconscious." Rick told him, hoping he could get through to Daryl who was now obviously distraught.

Daryl took in the sight of Davia. She had handprints around her neck, and there was blood everywhere in the apartment and on her. She was bleeding from the eyes, nose, mouth and ears and there were scratches and bruises all over her arms.

"Who would do this to her? She wouldn't hurt no one." Daryl asked out loud, but not specifically to Rick. Before Rick could respond the EMT's made their way into the apartment and Rick had to physically remove Daryl from Davia's side.

"Look Daryl, I know you are upset and concerned, and you have every right to be, but right now I need you to remain calm for Davia. For now, the apartment is a crime scene."

"Sir are you her husband?" the EMT asked.

"No…" Daryl thought and then remembered they might not let him ride with her to the hospital "I mean yes, we just got married." He said lying. Rick heard Daryl's answer and when the EMT looked to Rick for confirmation he nodded affirmatively.

The EMT's were taking Davia's vitals and he picked up on phrases like "weak pulse" "brain damage" and "terminal injuries". When they had her stabilized they gently lifted her onto a gurney and carried her to the waiting ambulance. Daryl was just about to get in with her when Rick stopped him for just a second "Daryl, keep it together for her. I promise that whoever did this to her won't get away with it."

They had already started an IV on Davia and Daryl hated seeing the needles sticking into her hand. This was his woman, the love of his life, and at this moment she wasn't part of this world anymore. She was unresponsive and he wanted more than anything for her to open her eyes so he could tell her how much she meant to him. If Daryl lost her, he didn't know if he would have the will to continue on. At this moment the only thing that mattered was Davia needed to survive. Once he knew she wouldn't leave him, he would then focus his attention on finding out who did this to her and why. Whoever her attacker was, his days were numbered. Daryl would kill him personally, no questions asked.

Daryl held onto her hand as they rode in the ambulance, silently praying to a God he wasn't sure even existed. He was praying that she would move, open her eyes, say something…anything to let him know she would survive this, and for the first time in his adult life, he was terrified. He felt the phone in his jacket vibrating and pulled it out to see who was trying to contact him, it was Zach's number. He also noticed there were numerous missed calls that registered to Beth's phone as well. He made a note to call them as soon as they got to the hospital because they deserved to know what was going on as well. Beth and Zach were for all intents and purposes their extended family.

When they arrived at the hospital they took Davia to a trauma unit and Daryl was asked to wait in the lobby of the emergency room. His first instinct was to fight like hell to be allowed to stay with Davia, but Rick's words kept replaying in his head and Daryl knew he had to keep it together for Davia's sake. The last thing he needed was to be escorted out of the hospital by security. A young nurse could see how visibly upset Daryl was and pulled him to the side and spoke, "I'm Tara, and I know you are concerned for your wife at the moment, but I promise you as soon as we get her settled and know what her injuries and condition are I will let you know." She smiled at him kindly and then left to perform her duties.

Daryl picked up his phone and called Zach.

"Daryl?" Zach said when he answered.

"It's bad. Do y'all mind coming down here? I don't wanna be here by myself in case…"

"We're on our way." Zach said as he hung up.

Daryl stared at his phone and made a hard decision. He picked it up and called Will.

"Hello" Will Answered.

"Um yeah…it's me. Can I ask a favor?" Daryl asked sheepishly.

"Anything son." Will said, concern in his voice.

"Davia was attacked and it don't look good for her. I know you and Jacqui are both God fearing people. Would you mind praying for her?" Daryl asked out of heartfelt desperation.

"Daryl, you don't even have to ask. Where are you at right now? What happened?" Will asked.

"I'm at Fannin Regional Hospital and I wish I knew what happened, but right now all that matters is Davia gets better. They don't know anything yet and I'm waiting for the doctor to get back to me. I'm so fucking scared I don't know what to do." Daryl confessed to his father.

"Is anyone there with you?" Will asked him.

"Beth and Zach are on their way. Look I need to hang up, but thanks for caring." Daryl said, a lump forming in his throat. Six months ago if you would have told him he would have turned to Will Dixon for support, and he would have laughed you into next week. Now his father was one of the first persons he wanted to turn to.

…

Rick had interviewed the neighbors and no one saw anyone hanging around the area. They didn't know if the guy had come in on foot or by vehicle and they didn't know how he left either. Rick really could have used Daryl's help with the investigation. Daryl's observation skills would point to anything out of the ordinary quickly and could probably give them the lead they needed. Rick knew that at this point he had no chance of pulling Daryl away from Davia, and he wouldn't want to, but he hoped like hell Davia made a full recovery quickly so that she could give them some idea of who they were looking for.

…

Beth and Zach met Daryl in the waiting room at the hospital. Beth immediately embraced Daryl, and to her surprise, he hugged her back.

"I'm gonna have faith that she's gonna be alright Daryl. She has to be and that is what I'm going to accept." She told the older man.

Beth's optimism was like a ray of sunshine. She said it so convincingly that he didn't doubt her. "Thank you." He whispered to the young blonde.

They waited and they waited. For three very long hours they waited to hear something on Davia's condition. Daryl had begun to pace the waiting room like a caged tiger after he had chewed his thumb raw. Daryl had many gifts, but patience wasn't one of them.

"Daryl, maybe no news is good news. If something bad had happened they would have been out here by now to tell us." Beth told him.

"She's right son." He heard a voice from behind him. He turned to see his father and Jacqui had made the ride from Chattanooga to be with him.

"I didn't call you to make you feel like you needed to come here." Daryl said. He wouldn't admit it, but his father and Jacqui being there meant the world to him at the moment.

"I know you didn't son, but your family and right now you need all the support you can get." Will told his son.

Jacqui walked over and wrapped her arms around Daryl and pulled him into a hug "I know you aren't my own, but I already love you like you are. Now you listen to me Daryl. I spent the entire trip here calling all my prayer warriors on Davia's behalf. Right now Jesus and the Angels are working overtime to make sure that girl pulls through. I don't doubt for one minute she isn't gonna be OK." She told him.

Daryl couldn't help it as few tears slipped from his eyes and he nodded at her, unable to speak. Jacqui continued to speak to him in a comforting tone and rocked him like a young boy. He suddenly knew what it was that Will saw in this amazing lady. She had so much love and goodness in her that she was able to love Will Dixon past his demons. This woman was truly his father's salvation.

It was close to four in the afternoon when the door to the private waiting room the family had been moved to opened up. A doctor in his late thirties with sandy hair and round glasses entered looking serious. Immediately Daryl thought the worse.

"I'm sorry" were the first words out of the doctor's mouth.

Beth cried out and Daryl sunk to his knees. He wasn't ready to accept this.

The doctor took in the sight in front of him and realized what he had done. "No, I'm sorry that we kept you waiting so long. My apologies, I'm Dr. Mahmet and I have been assigned to Davia's care." He told them.

The sense of relief that flooded the room was overwhelming and the grief was replaced with the releasing of five individual's breaths.

"Davia is stable but critical. She has a long list of injuries including a broken right orbital bone, two broken fingers, a punctured lung, four broken ribs, numerous contusions, a severe concussion, and there is some slight swelling in her brain. I had to make a small incision to relieve some of the pressure, but it shouldn't be noticeable. We have also processed a rape kit on her to see if the assault was sexual." Dr. Mahmet told them.

Daryl felt like he wanted to vomit. He hadn't even let himself think that the assault could have turned sexual. "Doc can I talk to you alone?" He asked.

The doctor nodded and led Daryl out to the hallway. "I don't know if it makes a difference or not but we had sex just an hour or two before the attack. Is that going to mess up the results?" He said.

"It will be helpful for you to supply a blood sample to check for any foreign DNA. There are usually other signs as well such as bruising and tearing when the sex is non-consensual." The doctor told him.

"OK, I can do that. Be straight with me, is she gonna make it?" Daryl asked.

"She's a lucky woman. If everything continues as it is, she should recover. She may make a full physical recovery, but you may want to consider finding a mental health doctor for her. Traumatic experiences this brutal can have a life-long effect on someone. Does she have a strong family she can rely on?" The doctor asked.

"She's got me, and a strong group of friends. She doesn't really have any other family, but we will get her through this." Daryl told the doctor, assuring him that Davia would have the support she needed.

"Good. We are moving her to a room and once we get her there you all can come in to see her. She regained consciousness briefly while we were stabilizing her and she asked for you. The nurse Tara was going to retrieve you, but we really needed to get her into surgery. That's why it took us so long to get back to you. I apologize for the lack of communication." Dr. Mahmet informed him.

"Thanks. All that matters is that she recovers." Daryl told him.

Daryl then walked back into the waiting room to find four other sets of eyes staring at him. "She's gonna pull through" Daryl informed them all.

"Oh thank God" Beth said as she hugged Zach, then Will, and then Jackie. Zach got up and clapped Daryl on the shoulder and shook his hand. The tension in the room melted away.

Will stood up to shake Daryl's hand, and without thinking Daryl pulled his father into a hug. It started out awkward at first but quickly progressed to a true heartfelt father/son endearment. It seemed like all the years of hurt and disappointment had been washed away and Daryl suddenly collapsed like a child in his father's arms. This wasn't the monster that had raised him until he was fourteen; this was an answered prayer that was thirty-six years in the making. Could he ever completely forget what had happened in the past? No. But his father was here with him now when it mattered, and that counted for everything at the moment.

…

As Daryl and his father were sharing a break through moment, everyone quietly got up and left the waiting room to give the father and son privacy.

Zach addressed the little group "Before they let us up to the room to see Davia why don't we all go grab a coffee."

"Great idea Zach. I like you young man." Jacqui said.

"Do you think they will be OK in there?" Beth asked.

"I believe they will be better than alright." Jacqui replied to Beth.

…

It was decided that Daryl would go see Davia first. He was hesitant to see her, knowing he would be overtaken by anger when he saw what the bastard had done to his girl, but he had promised Rick he would keep it together and he wasn't going to let the man down. For some reason what Rick Grimes thought about him mattered.

Daryl entered the room tentatively, not wanting to wake up Davia if she was resting. When he first caught sight of her he felt anger rise immediately. She looked like she had been dropped from a fifth floor window. Her face was bruised and swollen and he noticed her arms were bruised badly as well. They had two of her fingers in a splint and a bandage wrapped around her head where he assumed the Doctor had to drain some of the fluid that had been collecting on her brain.

Daryl went to Davia's bedside and pulled up a chair to sit beside her. Even in her battered condition, she was still the most beautiful woman he had ever known. He hated the world for how they had treated her because she wasn't a size six. She was a real woman with real curves and he liked that about her. There wasn't anything fake or pretentious about Davia. Her beauty from within is what made her so beautiful on the outside. Daryl loved her more than he loved life and seeing her in this condition was overwhelming for him. He took her uninjured hand into his and held it and waited. Right now all he wanted for her to do was wake up and give him her smile.

…

Davia began to slowly wake up and the first thing she noticed was that her head hurt, badly. It felt as if she had a migraine and it caused her stomach to feel weak as well. She was confused as to where she was and wasn't sure as to why she was hurting so badly. She opened her eyes, but the light of the room caused her to immediately close them again, but not before she caught Daryl's face in her hazy vision.

"Where am I?" She asked

"Baby your awake." Daryl said.

"Am I in the hospital?" She asked, still confused.

"Davia you were attacked and we were lucky that we found you just in time before…" He said, not even being able to say what could have happened.

Tears sprang from her swollen eyes, as she was flooded with the memories of her attack. "Daryl I was so scared. I don't know why he attacked me and I don't know who he was. All I could think about was that I would never see you again." She said tearfully.

"Shhh…you got me right here and ain't no one ever gonna hurt you again. Baby you gotta rest so we can get you home." He told her, gently rubbing her hand in an attempt to calm her down.

"I don't want to go back to the apartment Daryl. Please get the house finished so we can go there instead." She begged him.

"I will, I promise you that Davia. But I can't while I am here with you." He told her.

"Please Daryl Please…it's OK if you're not here with me as long as you get the house finished. You said it was close." She was pleading with him. It was evident she was terrified to return to the apartment.

"Don't worry anymore about it sweetie, I promise you won't ever have to go back there again. Baby you weren't the only one who was scared. I thought I was gonna lose you and I didn't know what I was gonna do." He confessed to her.

"Did they catch him?" She asked.

"No babe, not yet. But Rick is out looking for him." He assured her.

"Daryl you have to help him. Please, find him Daryl. I know I'm asking a lot, but I know you can help Rick." She told him.

"I will honey. Once I'm sure you are gonna be OK I will." He told her.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"Davia there are some people here that want to see you, are you up to it? It's Beth and Zach and my Dad and Jacqui." He told her.

Davia nodded and it was apparent that she was in pain and was also getting worn out quickly. Daryl was hesitant to allow visitors, but knew that Davia wouldn't turn them away, and also knew that the others were eager to see her, even just for a moment.

Daryl got up and went to the waiting room where he was greeted by four very anxious faces. "She is awake, but very weak. She's ready to see y'all, but be easy on her, and I'm just gonna warn ya, she looks bad, so prepare yourself."

They all headed down the hall to Davia's room and Jacqui took Daryl's hand into hers and whispered into his ear. "Daryl the Lord saved her for a reason and I think that reason is for you. Y'all give each other strength and comfort and I pray you never let that go." She said squeezing his hand.

Daryl gave her a quick nod and the slightest of smiles as she separated from him to be by his father's side. It was amazing to Daryl how in such tragedy he was beginning to find great strength, love, and support. Maybe things were finally gonna be right for him. And Jacqui was right, God spared Davia for a reason, and Daryl was as sure as he ever had been about anything in his life. Davia was meant to be his wife, and he was going to ask her today. Life was too short to risk being separated from her and both of them had come close to death in the past few months. He silently lifted up a prayer to God "If your listening I wanna offer up a big "thanks". I hope I'm reading the signs right Lord and I'm gonna do what you want. I just pray she says yes."

**So...is Daryl moving too fast or do you think you understand why he wants to commit to Davia?**

**I've got a lot of things planned...and next chapter Daryl is going on a manhunt. I pity the fool...**

**So let me know what you think...**

**MSF on Sunday and I hope to have another update by then. I Hope each and every one of you have a happy and blessed Thanksgiving...Eat without guilt ladies!**

**Ciao-**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	17. Chapter 17

**Sorry for the long delay...I was a bit traumatized by the MSF...I have never had a TV show effect me the way that S5-8 Did. I loved Beth.**

*****Warning MSF Discussion at the end and possible spoilers in Authors Note******

Davia was weak and in pain, but she couldn't fight the smile on her face when Beth, Zach, Will, and Jacqui came into her room to visit her. She had never had anyone in her life that genuinely cared about her well being, and these people treated her like she was one of the most important people in their lives. Even Will teared up as he squeezed her hand and gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead. All of this made Davia realize just how many things have changed since she began to date Daryl.

Beth burst out into tears involuntarily when she saw Davia. It killed her to see her best friend in the condition she was in. What type of monster would do this to someone as sweet and kind as Davia? Anger rose up in sweet little Beth Greene like never before. She herself now wanted to find the asshole that almost took her friend away from them. Beth was not one for vengeance, but right now it was all she could think about.

The group only visited with Davia for a short period of time before they could see just how much they were wearing her out. Davia needed rest and yet she still felt obligated to put on a happy face so that this new family of hers wouldn't worry. But the truth was, they were all worried about her. Davia had a long road of recovery ahead of her and they would all by lying to themselves if they thought otherwise.

After they left it was just Davia and Daryl remaining in the room. Davia weakly reached out her hand for Daryl to take. He immediately obliged her request and held her hand to him.

"I reckon piano playing is out for a while." She said trying to ease the tension she could sense rolling off of Daryl.

"Dale can hire a band for ya. You do good performing up front anyhow." He said trying to be positive.

"I must be quite a sight. No one said anything, but I could see the reactions on their faces. You wouldn't mind getting me a mirror would you?" She asked.

"Ain't nothing you need to see. Let the swelling go down and you'll be just fine. Besides it ain't about how ya look to me Davia. It's the person you are on the inside." He told her, attempting to offer comforting words.

However, Davia began to cry softly "Is it that bad Daryl? So bad you won't even let me look at myself?" She asked.

"Just don't want you getting yourself upset." He told her.

"I appreciate it Daryl, but I want to see what he did to me. I want to remember." She insisted.

Daryl huffed, but got up and went to the bathroom and removed the mirror. He carried it over to Davia who opened her eyes, which were mere slits from the swelling, and put it in front of her. Davia looked intently at herself and sighed.

"It's pretty bad. I look like a fucking freak." She said frustrated.

"It's temporary Davia. The swelling will…" He was interrupted by her.

"Daryl, Don't take this wrong, but I want you to leave." She said.

"No Davia, I ain't leaving ya." He insisted.

"Sorry…that didn't come out the way I intended. Look, These pain meds are kicking in and I can barely hold my eyes open. I want you to go find Rick and find out who did this. The longer he is out there the more of a chance there is of him doing it to someone else. Please Daryl, I know I sound like I don't want you around, but you have to find this guy." She begged.

"I'll go, but I ain't leaving you here alone. I'm gonna find someone to stay with you until I return. Will that work?" He asked.

"Perfectly." She replied.

…

Will and Jacqui volunteered to stay with Davia with no resistance at all. That allowed Daryl to call Rick, who seemed relieved that Daryl had contacted him. Zach and Beth brought Daryl back to the apartment complex where he could meet up with Rick and then pick up his truck. As Beth and Zach were about to leave Zach's car sputtered. "Shit" Zach said, "I think one of the fuel injectors is gummed up. Beth why don't you call Glenn to come pick us up?"

Daryl shook his head "Just take my truck and I will get Rick to take me to the hospital when we are done. We'll work out everything after that."

Rick came over to the trio "Zach can I get you to do me a favor? Would you mind stopping by my house and letting Carol know what is going on? She's watching the kids and I don't want her to panic when I don't get off of my shift at the regular time. I've been trying to call her and I can't get through…I think her cell is dead."

Zach agreed and then the young couple left. Rick took a deep sigh and then turned to Daryl. Frustration was evident in the Sheriff's body movements.

"We don't have any leads Daryl. It's dark and we don't even know where to begin." Rick told him.

Daryl took a look around the complex and the first thing he noticed was a blue truck that he hadn't seen before. "Over here, this truck ain't been here before." He said pointing to the beat up old Ford.

Rick and Daryl walked over to the truck and Daryl asked Rick if he had a flashlight. Rick nodded and handed Daryl the light. Daryl took the light and began to run it over the abandoned truck taking in every detail he could.

"Rick come check this out." He told the officer.

Rick walked over to the driver's side of the truck where Daryl was crouched down examining something. "This truck's been in an accident recently and I think it might have been the one to run the Greene's off that cliff." He said pointing out the damage to Rick.

Then Daryl continued "There is a missing headlight and you can see that the damage doesn't have any rust formed along it, which says it is new. You can also see flecks of red paint here stuck in the grooves and dents, and Mrs. Greene's car was red." Daryl said pointing out his observation to Rick.

Rick immediately summoned another officer over and instructed him to mark the truck as evidence. They called in the license plate number to see if they could determine whom the vehicle belonged too and it took less than a minute for the result to come back. Ed Peletier.

Daryl suddenly felt sick. Had he not chosen to go down to fill out the fucking paperwork for the restraining order he would have been home to protect Davia from the asshole he was filing the paperwork against.

Daryl looked up at Rick "Asshole is as good as dead because when I get my hands on him I'm gonna kill him." Daryl stated in a matter of fact manner.

"I appreciate your sentiment Daryl, but you have to let the law handle this. The last thing I want is for you to get arrested for attempted murder. I got much bigger plans for you." Rick said, referring to the conversation he had earlier with Daryl.

"Fine we'll do it your way. Take me up to the apartment, I want to look around." Daryl insisted.

Rick led Daryl up to the disheveled apartment and Daryl began to look around at the mess. He noticed Davia's kitchen knife on the floor and noticed that it was covered in blood, not just blood droplets. Daryl went to pick it up but Rick stopped him. "Not without gloves Daryl." He instructed.

Daryl nodded and then crouched over the knife pointing it out to Rick "This ain't Davia's blood. She was beat up but she wasn't stabbed. Looks like she got the bastard at some point during the struggle." Quickly Daryl got up and went out to the front walkway. He asked for Rick's flashlight again and began to shine the light around towards the steps. Sure enough, he found what he had been looking for, blood droplets. "Looks like the asshole left us a trail."

The droplets of blood were faint and barely visible, but to an experienced tracker like Daryl they were easy to spot. Years of hunting deer and various other prey in the woods had taught Daryl what to look for and what direction he needed to follow to find a wounded animal. It didn't take long for him to pick up the trail that led from the apartment building to the woods. Daryl was so intent on following the droplets that he didn't realize that Rick and his officers were now following him into the woods.

Daryl followed the trail for at least an hour, finally losing it as they reached the highway. "Trail ends here. Looks like he hopped a ride somewhere. That fucker could be anywhere now." Daryl said angrily.

"Daryl we've got a lead and that's more than we had a few hours ago." Rick assured the man.

Daryl looked at Rick pensively "I promised Davia I would find him. Kinda hard to do when you don't know where he went."

Rick had put out an APB for Ed and he and Daryl went back to the apartment. The Crime scene investigation at the apartment was over and Daryl took the time to take in the scene around him. Blood was everywhere and Davia's bloody handprints were still on the wall. Daryl spoke to no one in particular, but Rick heard him "My girl put up a fight, a damn good one…she's a tough cookie."

"Daryl, why don't you get some of her items and take them to her at the hospital. I'll carry you to get your truck and then I can go home and you can go to Davia." Rick said.

Daryl agreed and tried to get Zach on the cell, but there was no answer. So he tried Beth, and once again he didn't get an answer either. "Hmmm…they ain't answering. They better not be screwing in my truck." Daryl joked.

"Well let's go by the house so I can check on Carol and the kids and let her know what is going on. Then we can take a ride out to the Greene farm." Rick told him.

Daryl ran back up the apartment and grabbed a change of clothes for himself and some clean clothes for Davia. He found her Ipod and threw that and a few toiletries into a bag for her. Being in the hospital his self recently he knew that little things like wearing your own clothes made a difference in helping you feel more human. After he gathered up the items he ran back down to the parking lot to meet Rick at his patrol car.

They headed towards Rick's house in a comfortable silence when Daryl finally asked a question.

"How's it going with Carol living over there with you?" Daryl asked curiously.

"It's good, we are helping each other out through a rough time. Her shifts at the hospital work well with mine and the kids get along well. I can't cook worth a damn and the woman is a damn miracle worker in the kitchen. Lori never could cook worth a fuck. Right now getting a divorce and finding out the paternity of the child are the two things outside of work I am most focused on." Rick told Daryl. It had actually surprised Rick that Daryl asked him a personal question.

"I don't know how you keep from beating the shit out of Walsh. I mean what he did…and then you have to still work with the bastard." Daryl stated.

"Well I hold rank over Shane, and have made sure we work opposite shifts. To be honest with you, things between Lori and me have been bad for a while. I can't say I was surprised. Lori and I have been having problems for years, and I think it's because she has always had a thing for Shane. She admitted to me she had been in love with him all the way back to High School, but Shane was interested in conquests, not a relationship. My guess is he will get tired of her, like he has everyone else he has been involved with…but that doesn't make what happened any easier. Carl is having a hard time with all of this. He loves Shane and now he doesn't know how to act. I've noticed he's been acting out a lot lately." Rick confessed to Daryl.

"You really think I got what it takes to be a cop? Not a lot of people around this town would agree with you." Daryl said solemnly.

"Daryl, don't repeat this, but have you seen some of the cops I work with? You already are light years ahead of them with intuition and you haven't had any training. I really hope you consider my offer." Rick assured him.

"I still haven't had a chance to talk to Davia about it, but I am considering it." Daryl confirmed.

"Glad to hear it." Rick said.

As they pulled up to Rick's house, Daryl noticed his truck was parked in the front yard with both doors open. "What the fuck?" Daryl said out loud, but before he could say anymore Rick had shoved the car in park and had pulled his Colt Python.

"Daryl, stay in the car…something is off here." He told Daryl.

"I ain't staying here like some pussy Rick." Daryl responded.

Rick didn't respond back but immediately ran towards the front door of the house. The front door had been kicked in and there was broken glass all over the front porch. Rick went into the house with his gun drawn "Carol" he yelled. There was no response.

"Carl" he yelled this time, a bit more of a panic sounding in his voice.

While Rick was investigating the house Daryl had headed towards his truck to determine what had happened. As he approached the truck he heard moaning and immediately went to investigate the noise. Lying on the ground in front of his truck was a wounded Zach. A bullet wound was gaping open from his shoulder and blood was pooling underneath him.

"Zach…" Daryl said as he rushed to his friend's side.

"They took us by surprise and they both had a gun…" Zach said weakly.

"Where are the others?" Daryl asked.

"They tied up Beth and Carol and threw them in the backseat of the truck they were driving and took the kids as well. One of 'em was Ed Peletier, and the other was a greasy looking white guy. Ed called him 'Len'" Zach managed to get out. It was obvious to Daryl that Zach was in immense pain.

"Hold on buddy, helps coming." Daryl said.

Rick had made his way out to the two other men in his front yard and Daryl relayed to him what Zach had told him. A look that Daryl couldn't quite pinpoint appeared on Rick's face. He wasn't sure if it was anger, concern, or both.

"They are fucking with the wrong people." Rick said out loud.

Daryl and Rick administered first aid to Zach until the paramedics arrived and then Rick instructed Daryl to take his truck and go to the hospital.

"Rick, I can help you find them." Daryl insisted.

"No, you aren't law enforcement and there is too much of a risk involved. Go to the hospital and be there for Davia and Zach. I can't have you involved with this at this point. Do you see now why I need you on my team?" Rick asked.

"Yeah, I get it. What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to find them. They are going to realize very quickly that they have made a fatal mistake." Rick insisted.

…

Ed had made his way through the woods and out to the highway. He couldn't believe his luck when one of his drinking buddies, Len, had drove by and spotted him. Len picked up the slightly injured Ed and Ed informed him of the activities that had taken place with "Dixon's woman".

The two men went back to Len's trailer and began drinking, and as they drank the anger boiled over. Len had informed Ed that he had heard Carol was living with the Sheriff, Rick Grimes and that sent Ed into yet another fit of rage. The resulting anger led both men to the Grime's house seeking vengeance.

When the arrived at the house, Zach and Beth had just arrived to deliver the information Rick had given them to Carol. They were out on the porch chatting when Ed and Len pulled into the driveway taking the trio by surprise. Zach began to approach the drunken men, but was met quickly with a gun shot blast to the shoulder that sent him back a few feet upon impact, and rendered him unconscious. Before he totally blacked out he witnessed Ed and Len manhandling Beth and Carol, while ushering Sophia and Carl into the now crowded back seat of Len's extended cab Chevrolet truck.

Before Zach went out completely, he managed to pick up the last four digits of the license number. Unfortunately, he was unable to call for any help and blacked out. When he came too Daryl was kneeling at his side checking his injuries and trying to revive the younger man.

…

Daryl was torn as to what to do. He really wanted to be with Davia especially knowing that Ed was still out there as a threat. He also felt personally involved in this case now since Ed had hurt and kidnapped people that Daryl was personally vested with. Damn life was easier when it was just he and Merle, but it was also a miserable lonely existence.

Rick had crossed over to a violent mindset and it concerned Daryl that Rick's actions could possibly lead to him making a very rash and dangerous decision. Rick was no longer acting as a cop, but as a man out to protect his family, and when something was this personal, you couldn't always trust yourself to do the right thing. Rick's career and son were now at risk, along with Beth and Carol, and Carol's daughter Sophia. What scared Daryl the most was the thought that Ed could do something to hurt the young girl just to spite Carol. When he was young Will would transfer his anger at his wife for leaving him to a very young Daryl and those scars both physical and mental never left him. He re-lived those horrible moments of his life everyday.

Daryl pulled the key out of the ignition of his truck and ran over to Rick's patrol car before the sheriff had a chance to pull out. Rick rolled down his window when he saw Daryl approaching.

"I'm going with ya Rick. I'll sign a waiver saying I take responsibility for my own actions if you need me too, but this is too big of a deal to not help. You said you needed my skills, so I'm offering them to you. Davia told me she wants me to make sure Ed don't hurt no one else, so I'm doing this for her. Plus Beth and Zach are two of my closest friends, and right now Zach can't do anything to help out his girl. You can take me with you or I will follow, but one way or the other I'm gonna help you get them back…safely." Daryl told him.

"Get in." Rick responded in a monotone voice.

"Hold on one sec." Daryl said as he ran back to his truck and pulled out his crossbow. "Got my own weapon…just in case." Daryl told Rick.

The two men left Rick's house and headed out to the outskirts of Blue Ridge. The first place they checked was Len's trailer. Of course, no one was there, but Rick began to knock on the doors of some of the neighbors to see if he could find out some information. One older man, who lived a few trailers down informed Rick that Len had an old hunting cabin up in the mountains, but he wasn't exactly sure where it was. He was able to give a rough estimate though of where it was located.

"Thanks" Rick told the older man and then he looked to Daryl.

"I know where there are some old shacks about fifteen miles out of town. It's a long shot, but I know my Dad would go up there and hunt, and of course drink. A lot of moonshiners up there too. Could be dangerous if they see us. They don't take too kind to strangers up there." Daryl replied.

"Show me." Rick said.

The two men took the drive in relative silence. Rick had radioed his location in and requested that they get the Georgia SBI involved so they could get reinforcements and also see if they could get a helicopter up for reconnaissance. Because kidnapping was involved now in this case it was now a state/federal crime and they would be justified in requesting the extra back up.

Daryl pointed to the small dirt path that left the highway and headed up towards the cluster of hunting cabins. They drove a good ways and then Rick suggested that they park the car and cover the remaining distance on foot. Daryl agreed.

Jackpot. As they approached the cabins Daryl's hunch proved right. Len's truck was parked outside one particularly decrepit cabin. Unfortunately, there were two other trucks there as well, which meant that they were now dealing with a group larger than just Ed and Len.

Rick looked at Daryl and then spoke "You hold up right here for a moment and let me see if I can get a look inside. Watch my back."

Daryl nodded and crouched down in a defensive position as Rick silently headed towards the back of the cabin. He returned within a minute and relayed the details of what he observed inside to Daryl.

"Carol, Beth, and Carl are all tied up together and Ed has Sophia with him. There are four men inside, and they all appear to be armed with handguns. The biggest risk will be trying to get them out without any of them getting injured."

Daryl thought for a moment "We can create some sort of distraction that would lure them out, and then pick them off one by one. It might be easier than waiting for backup. The more people in the area, the more chances of them knowing we are here and the more chances of them doing something to hurt them."

"It's a good plan Daryl, but lets wait a bit and see what happens. They may fuck up on their own. Have your weapon ready just in case."

…

When Ed and Len had surprised the group at Rick's house Beth had fought with everything she could to prevent being taken. She had seen Zach go down with a gunshot wound, and feared the worse. Carol had tried to beg and plead with Ed to leave the kids behind, arguing the point that he was upset with her, not Sophia. But Len had stated that by taking Beth and the kids it would increase their ability to bargain.

Ed didn't care about gaining anything other than revenge on his estranged wife and controlling what was his, especially Sophia. Sophia was his prize and no one had any right to his girl, and for Rick Grimes to even attempt to think he could take his place infuriated the man.

When they arrived at the isolated cabin in the woods, they met up with two more of their cohorts, Joe and Dan. Dan had been charged numerous times for pedophilia but none of the charges had ever stuck since he had a way of 'convincing' his victims not to testify. Men like Dan deserved a special place in Hell, yet he still walked free.

The other man was a guy named Joe. He was older and wiser than the other two men were, but no less sinister. He possessed patience and would kill you while giving you a warm smile. Joe was the clinical definition of a cold-blooded killer.

Dan had taken a particular interest in the kids, but Ed threatened to kill the man if he even looked at Sophia. She was his, and his to do with what he pleased. Ed wasn't much better than Dan, but had yet to act upon his urges. However, the looks that he gave his own daughter had sent fear and suspicion through Carol. It only reiterated her decision to get her and Sophia away from Ed. Unfortunately for them both they were now in an even more dangerous situation.

So far, Carol had only been roughed up slightly by Ed, but she knew if they didn't get out of their predicament soon, things were going to go badly, very badly. Joe had taken one good look at Beth and realized he knew who she was "This is old Doc Greene's baby daughter. Quite the little singer. Why don't you sing us a little something?" He asked.

"Don't feel much like singing right now." She grumbled.

"Well little princess, you may change your mind after a while. I tell you what, you play nice with me and I will make sure this is as painless as possible." The veiled threat not being missed by Beth.

Beth squeaked out "Maybe later I will sing something."

"Good girl." The older man said with a smile.

Carl, Carol, and Beth had been tied up and placed against the back wall of the cabin while the four other men had sat down to play poker and enjoy some whiskey that Dan had produced. Ed had Sophia sitting on his lap and the young girl looked terrified.

While the men were playing cards Carl whispered to Carol "What are we going to do? My dad doesn't know where we are at."

"Shhh Carl, just do as they say for right now. We will figure out a way to get out of this."

After about an hour of the men playing cards Beth caught movement out of the corner of her eye and looked up to see Rick looking in the cabin. He didn't notice that she had caught sight of him, but at least she knew they were there. Beth realized she needed to do something to help distract the men.

"Um sirs?" She said sweetly.

"What is it princess?" Joe replied.

"I have to pee." She said as innocently as she could possibly muster.

Len replied rudely "Well pee then."

Joe then yelled at the man "Len, don't you have any God Damn manners? This is a lady and you need to respect her. Get up and take her out to the privy."

Beth tried hard not so show her elation. Her plan was to get one of the men to take her outside so hopefully Rick and whoever was with him could pick the guy off. That would be one less asshole to deal with and then hopefully she could get herself to safety and let whoever she found know every detail she had taken in. It wasn't the greatest plan, but it was something. She wouldn't rest though until the others were safe as well.

Len led Beth out of the cabin to the rudimentary outhouse in a rather rough manner, bruising her arm as he held onto it tightly.

"You're hurting me." She said softly.

"Tough. Get used to it you little bitch. If it wasn't for Joe being so sweet on you I would have thrown you on the table and fucked you senseless." He said angrily.

Beth tried hard to fight off the bile rising in her throat. The thought of the dirty sleazy man having his way with her made her sick. She opted not to respond.

As they walked towards the outhouse Beth suddenly felt Len's hand release from her arm as he dropped to the ground dead, with a bolt stuck through his forehead. Quickly Rick emerged from the woods and grabbed Beth, pulling her back into the cover of the foliage.

"Beth, are you OK?" Daryl asked quickly.

She nodded "Zach is…"

"…At the hospital. He was wounded, not dead."

A sigh of relief left Beth's mouth. "There are three others in the house and they have Carol and Carl tied up. I saw Rick and made an excuse to go to the restroom. They are going to figure something out quickly if I don't return with the dead guy."

Daryl thought for a second. "OK, here is what we do. Beth I want you to scream, like the guy is going at ya, and we will see if any of them leave the cabin in response. We will try to take out who we can and hopefully they will leave the others in the cabin when they check out the scream."

"That's a good plan Daryl… I keep saying you are a natural for this line of work." Rick said.

"Yeah, you keep saying that. Now let's get the others out of there."

Beth screamed as she was told and sure enough, Joe and Dan came out of the cabin, but Dan now had Carl in his grasp, a knife to the boy's neck. Daryl quickly took out Joe with another bolt, but with the position that Dan was holding Carl, neither man could get a shot off.

"Come out and show yourself and the boy don't die." Dan said confidently.

Rick told Daryl to stay behind. "Give me the crossbow and you take my gun. He doesn't need to know there are two of us here."

Rick presented himself and the fat man holding Carl let a small smile play across his face. "It would seem we are at an impasse here Sheriff Grimes."

Rick was more than familiar with Dan because he had picked him up on numerous charges in the past. Rick also knew the guy had a sick attraction to children.

"No, I think we can work something out Dan." Rick said as he gave Carl a quick wink. As if on Cue, Carl let his body go limp, which allowed the boy to slip out of Dan's grasp and Rick took the chance to pounce on the pedophile and began to beat him with Daryl's crossbow. Soon the man was unconscious and Rick continued to beat the man until he was no longer among the living. It was if something in Rick snapped when he saw his son was in danger.

"Rick…Stop." Daryl said not half believing what he was witnessing. The normally laid back Rick had become a savage.

Rick gained his composure and the two men entered the cabin, to find Carol still tied up but Sophia and Ed gone. While Rick had been taking care of Dan, Ed had taken the opportunity to slip out the window with his daughter.

"Fuck me." Daryl said out loud.

Beth and Carl had now rushed back into the cabin and were helping Carol out of her bindings. By some miracle Ed had left her behind unharmed, but that might not have been a good thing. He had Sophia and she had no one to protect her from the monster that was her father.

"Sophia…" Carol cried out when they removed the bindings from her mouth.

"We'll find her." Rick said as he dropped down to Carol and pulled her into his arms.

…

Daryl and Rick walked out of the cabin, leaving Carl, Carol, and Beth inside until the SBI and others on the Blue Ridge police force could arrive.

Daryl looked at the three bodies laying on the ground and Rick spoke "Daryl, you can't tell anyone I let you take the shots with the bow. If they ask, it was me. You are a civilian and it wouldn't bode well for either of us if they knew."

"Got it." Daryl said.

The others arrived in short time and agreed to put up a chopper to try to find Ed and Sophia. They agreed to release an Amber alert to the media in hopes of limiting the places that Ed could hide with his daughter. Daryl had attempted to track Ed again, but the weather had turned south and it began to pour, washing away any hopes he had of following the tracks into the woods. It broke his heart when he saw how terrified Carol was for her daughter. Just knowing what little he did know about Ed, she had every right to be.

It was now close to three in the morning, and Daryl was exhausted, but still functioning on adrenaline. Rick brought Daryl and Beth back to his house so Daryl could get his truck and then take Beth to the hospital to see Zach. Daryl also wanted to check on Davia and see how she was doing. He hadn't received any phone calls or messages, so he took that as good news.

When they arrived at the hospital Hershel, Maggie, and Glenn, as well as Zach's parents met Beth in the hospital lobby. They had taken Zach into surgery to repair the damage in his shoulder. Though Zach would survive the wound, he had some nerve and muscle damage and a neurologists was attempting to correct the damage caused by the shotgun blast.

Beth was exhausted, but still managed to relay the entire story about being taken to everyone. Rick had spoken to her about the same subject he had spoken to Daryl about, and Beth agreed it was easier to just say that Rick had borrowed Daryl's crossbow. No one seemed to question it, so as far as she was concerned it was the truth.

…

Daryl dragged himself up to the third floor where Davia's room was. He walked in and found his father asleep on the couch in the room and Jacqui asleep in a chair beside the bed, still holding onto Davia's hand. Daryl walked over to Davia's bedside and Jacqui woke up.

Daryl then whispered "Thanks for keeping an eye on her. It's been a hectic day. Any changes since I left?"

"She's been asleep pretty much the whole time you were gone, which is good. The rest will do her well in recovering. They have her pretty drugged with pain medication and the doctor said they are going to do an MRI on her in the morning to make sure there isn't any more internal bleeding." Jacqui told him.

"Good deal. Have y'all got a place to stay while you are here? I didn't even think to ask and I know y'all weren't expecting to be here." Daryl said, genuinely concerned.

"Will talked with Hershel and we are going to stay with the Greene's. Did y'all find Beth and the others?" Jacqui asked.

"Yeah, it was a big mess but everyone is OK. Ed Peletier took his daughter though and he got away. I'll tell y'all the whole story once I get some sleep. I'm beat." Daryl admitted to his stepmother.

"Let me get Will up and we will head over to Hershel's place. Take care of yourself Daryl." Jacqui said as she reached out and took his hand and gave it a squeeze. The more Daryl got to know Jacqui, the more he adored her.

"I will…and once again Thanks for staying with her. She means the world too me." Daryl told her.

"I know she does Daryl…it shows."

…

Jacqui and Will left to meet up with the Greene's in the lobby and head back to the farm. Beth opted to stay with Zach since he hadn't woken up yet from his surgery. Daryl had to admit, the young woman was smart and cunning and Zach wasn't a pushover either. He risked his life without thinking to protect Beth, Carol, and the kids. Yeah, he was pleased with his friends and liked having others in his life. Even his dad was stepping up now, and that felt good.

Daryl slipped into the chair Jacqui had occupied and picked up Davia's hand and wrapped his rough larger hand around hers. It killed him to see her so battered, and he was more than a little disappointed that he didn't get Ed and exact his vengeance on the man, but tomorrow was another day, and he had promised Davia he would make Ed pay.

Daryl was beginning to doze off when he heard Davia stir. He opened his eyes to see her looking at him wordlessly.

"Hey angel girl. How are ya feeling?" He asked softly, his voice almost hoarse with exhaustion.

"I've felt better, but I'm glad you are back. Did you get him?" She asked.

"Close, but not quite. It's a long story and you and I both need some rest." He told her. The last thing he wanted to do was upset Davia about what had really happened. He would tell her, but not right now, she didn't even know about Zach yet.

"I'm glad you are here Daryl." She said weakly.

"Me too Davia. I love you baby." He told her.

"I love you too Daryl. Still promise me you will get the man that did this too me."

"I promise I will Davia. I also want to talk to you about an opportunity that has come up for me. I am thinking about making a career change." He told her. Only he was more than thinking about it. Daryl had decided that Law Enforcement might be exactly the career he was suited for. He just hoped that Davia would accept his decision.

**Hey y'all I'm back. Not real sure what to think about this chapter. It was definitely much more Daryl centric. What are your thoughts on his career change? I came REALLY close to killing off Beth this chapter, just because I was so upset about what happened in the show, but Ms. DarylDixon'sLover convinced me not too. **

**Please review this one for me and let me know what you are thinking. The Bad news is NO TWD until Feb...the Good news is my stress level will be lower now. After the MSF I couldn't sleep I was so upset, and then watching Emily Kinney on Talking Dead sent me into a sobbing fit. I was really surprised at how they handled her death, I had hoped that they would have left a question, but I guess they didn't see it the way I did.**

**Love y'all, and you don't have any idea how much Walking Dead Therapy you offer me.**

**Take care and once again,Please let me know what you thought of this chapter. I haven't quite decided where I am going with the Ed/Sophia story line...so please weigh in if you want her to survive or not. **

**Take care-**

**Missy **


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